§ MR. HEALYasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether the alleged outrage against himself, reported by James Bourke of Rathmore, county Wexford, was ever investigated by the authorities; whether the evidence of the people living in the adjoining houses was taken as to a shot being heard; whether it is in consequence of the shot being alleged to have been fired that extra police are quartered on the district; whether any and what other outrages have been alleged; and, whether the county and district is generally peaceful; and, if the Government intend to relieve the locality of the police tax?
§ MR. TREVELYANin reply, said, that the outrage referred to was the firing of a shot into the house of Bourke, who was unpopular in the district and "Boycotted." No sworn investigation was held, but the police made careful inquiries. It was true that the people in the neighbouring houses did not hear the shot; but that the shot was fired was beyond doubt, for the police found the window broken and some of the charge in the roof. The district had not been proclaimed under Section 18 of the Prevention of Crime Act; therefore no tax would be levied for the police.