§ MR. HEALYasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, If he will make inquiries into the threats used at the recent Poor Law election, by Mr. William Ancketill, in Monaghan Union, where he was a defeated candidate, against any tenants who voted against him; will the police make inquiries amongst his tenants with a view to a prosecution under the Crimes Act; has Mr. Ancketill, in consequence of the votes given against him, served over eighty processes for rent upon hostile voters; have these been confined to the tenants of the contested division; is this the same Mr. William Ancketill who was deprived of the Commission of the Peace for cruelty; and, what action do the Government intend to take to prevent intimidation at these elections, which for years has been made the subject of questions and debate in this House?
§ MR. CAMPBELL-BANNERMANNo complaints have been made to Government or to the police by any persons as to threats being made use of towards them by Mr. Ancketill, and it is not proposed to make inquiries as suggested in the Question. Mr. Ancketill, who, I 1846 believe, was removed from the Commission of the Peace, is understood to have issued several processes against his tenants; but his doing so is not a breach of the law. It has been frequently stated that the Government will not use the Crimes Act in connection with Poor Law elections. Parties on both sides frequently complain of intimidation; but the true remedy for such proceedings, in the opinion of the Government, is the ballot, a proposal for the use of which in Poor Law elections is at present before Parliament.