MR. O'BRIENasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether he is aware that the bailiff of Sir Henry Wrixham Beecher went around to the tenants, who are leaseholders, and threatened that they would suffer, unless they voted for the candidate nominated by their landlord for the Poor Law guardianship of the Ruskeen Division of the Mallow Union; whether such conduct is legal; if illegal, what remedy exists for landlord intimidation at Poor Law elections, in view of the declaration of the Government that the Intimidation Clause of the Crimes Act is not applicable to such cases; and, whether, having regard to the repeated and unpunished violations of freedom of voting, in the case of Poor Law elections, the Government will, this Session, introduce their promised Bill to establish voting by ballot at such elections, or will give facilities for the passing of a Bill introduced by private Members with that object?
§ MR. TREVELYANSir, it is not the case that Sir Henry Wrixham Beecher nominated a candidate for this election, or used any intimidation. His brother informs me that he was not even aware that there was a contest in the division. I should be very glad to introduce the Bill mentioned in the last paragraph, though it has no bearing on the case mentioned in this Question, about which the hon. Member was, I think, misinformed.