§ MR. DEASYasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether he is aware that, in the absence of the members of No. 1 Barrack Street Temperance Society, in the city of Cork, their rooms were lately entered by a sergeant of police, who made inquiries of a female found in charge as to the names and characters of the members; whether he is aware that the society has been a regularly organised friendly benefit society for over forty years; and, whether the visit was in the nature of an ordinary police duty for the detection and suppression of crime?
§ MR. TREVELYANOn two occasions constables presented themselves for admission at a house in Barrack Street, where meetings were held under the guise of "Penny Readings." They were prepared to pay for admission, but were not admitted. They did not enter the rooms of the Temperance Society, or make inquiries of a female found in charge as to the names and characters of the members. On a third occasion a sergeant attended and was admitted to the entertainment. These visits were paid in the ordinary discharge of police duty. The police had good reason to pay them. With regard to the Barrack Street Temperance Society having been a regularly organized friendly benefit society for the last 40 years, the Registrar of Friendly Societies informs me that the society which was registered at that place ceased to make any communication to him 10 years ago, and is marked in his books as "broken up."