§ MR. WILLIAM REDMONDasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether it is a fact that, on the morning of the 14th inst. Inspector Frayelli and a party of Constabulary armed entered the house of James Francis O'Regan, of Durrus, Bantry, county Cork, and, upon the plea of searching for arms, seized forcibly and carried off several copies of a paper called United Ireland, and also a number of private letters belonging to Mr. O'Regan and other persons; and, if this be the case, whether he will cause these letters to be immediately returned to Mr. O'Regan; and, whether he will take steps to punish Inspector Frayelli for seizing private and lawful property.
§ MR. TREVELYANDistrict Inspector Frizell and a party of Constabulary entered Mr. John O'Regan's house to search it, under the Lord Lieutenant's Warrant, issued under Section 14 of the Prevention of Crime Act. They found some documents which they considered to be of a, seditious and illegal character, and which they seized. Thinking it necessary to continue the search through a number of other documents, the District Inspector, to lessen the inconvenience to the family, and with the consent of Mr. O'Regan, took them away for the purpose, wrapped in an old newspaper. This happened to be a copy of United Ireland, and that is the only ground for 997 the suggestion that copies of that paper were seized. The newspaper was subsequently returned, with such of the documents as it was not considered necessary to detain.
§ MR. WILLIAM REDMONDasked whether the right hon. Gentleman considered it desirable to leave to the discretion of policemen in Ireland the decision of what papers were seditious? He might say that he had distinct information that these papers were all of a private character. ["Order!"]
§ [No reply.]