§ MR. SEXTONasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether, on Sunday the 26th ultimo, a number of persons in the employment of landlords endeavoured to take possession of the Town Hall at Cashel, which had been duly granted by the Town Commissioners for that day, for the purpose of a meeting of the local 1214 branch of the Irish National League; whether the Town Officers, because they resisted the attempt to take possession of the hall by force, have been summoned before the local bench by the aggressors; whether District Inspector Jones, of the Constabulary; Mr. Hartigan, a local magistrate; and one Mr. Mark Russell visited a tailor named Edward Kendrick, and informed him they would withdraw their custom from him if he did not dismiss from his employment a journeyman named Meany, whose offence was that he had attended the meeting of the local branch of the League; and whether Meany was accordingly dismissed from him employment; and, whether the Government will cause an independent inquiry to be held, with the object (amongst others) of ascertaining if the provisions of the Crime Prevention Act should be applied?
§ MR. CAMPBELL-BANNERMANI am informed that it is not a fact that a number of persons in the employment of landlords endeavoured to take possession of the Town Hall at Cashel on the occasion referred to. A meeting had been called at which it was expected that the question of preventing hunting would be discussed, and a counter-meeting to be held at the same place, but at an earlier hour, was organized by persons interested in hunting, such as smiths, horsebreakers, grooms, and others. These persons had obtained permission from some members of the Town Council to use the Town Hall. The town sergeant and his son, however, refused admission to the counter-meeting, and summonses have been taken against them by some of the persons who felt themselves aggrieved by such refusal. With regard to the dismissal of Meany, both District Inspector Jones and Mr. Hartigan emphatically deny that they acted in the manner alleged, nor does Mr. Russell appear to have done so either. Kendrick himself repudiates the suggestion. Meany was dismissed by Kendrick of his own free will and accord. I see no ground for instituting the inquiry suggested.