HC Deb 23 February 1885 vol 294 cc1023-5
COLONEL NOLAN

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ire- land, If, on the 28th November, Mr. P. Coen, Mr. J. Coen, and Mr. Welby were arrested under the Crimes Act for collecting subscriptions in Anbally, county of Galway; if these three men, after being identified, were detained for a week in prison, instead of being released and summoned; if, at the end of the week, the resident magistrate, Major Neild, declared that the Bench was of opinion that the Crimes Act was not intended for cases of this sort; if he will give orders that men awaiting trial for trifling offences should not be detained in prison for the future when there is no reason to suppose that they mean to fly the Country; and, if he would award a small compensation to these men for the loss of their time, and the annoyance caused by this week's imprisonment?

MR. CAMPBELL-BANNERMAN

At 9 o'clock on the night in question the police arrested a party of four men—of whom the persons named in the Question were three, and the fourth was a man named Cullinam—under Section 11 of the Prevention of Crime Act. The circumstances were suspicious, and the suspicions wore confirmed by a man named Hession, who shortly afterwards met the police and informed them that persons had been at his house demanding money with threats, and he named Cullinam as one of the party. The four men were next day brought before Mr. Gardiner, R.M., who remanded them, under the provisions of the section, for seven days to Galway Prison, at the end of which time Hession having sworn an information incriminating Cullinam, but not naming the other three, the men were discharged, and Cullinam was brought up on summons before Major Neild, R.M.; but as Hession's evidence before the Court contradicted his previous information the magistrate held that no offence under the Act was proved. He did not, however, say that the Prevention of Crime Act was not intended for such cases; and as the proceedings appear to have been conducted in accordance with the provisions of the Act, I see no reason to take any further steps in the matter.

COLONEL NOLAN

The right hon. Gentleman has not answered my Question as to whether he will give orders that men should not be detained on trivial charges when they can be brought up on summons?

MR. CAMPBELL-BANNERMAN

I hope men will not be detained on trivial accusations; but it is a very critical thing to give general orders as to the time men should be detained, as that should depend on the circumstances of each case.