MR. O'BRIENasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether it is the fact that the sergeant, acting sergeant, and five of the eight policemen at Stewartstown are Protestants and Freemasons; that no attempt has been made to bring to justice any of the Orange mob who smashed the windows of Catholics on the 18th instant, although policemen, witnessed their proceedings; and that, in consequence of this impunity, Orange outrages of the same character have become frequent in the town; and, whether any steps will be taken, by altering the composition of the local police force or otherwise, to protect the Catholic inhabitants from attack?
§ MR. CAMPBELL-BANNERMANI do not feel called upon to make inquiries as to the religious and other matters referred to in the first part of this Question. It appears that there was some disturbance in Stewartstown on the 18th ultimo, and two panes of glass were broken in the windows of a Roman Catholic; but the police did not see this done, and the injured person has refused to swear an information. The Inspector General had already instructed the County Inspector to give his special attention to the existence of Party feeling in this locality, and had requested him to make such arrangements as were possible to deal with such cases. The composition of the local 15 Police Force was one of the matters to which his attention was directed.
MR. O'BRIENAs the right hon. Gentleman has such reluctance to give information as to religious denominations, I would ask him whether it is not an understanding that in towns of this kind there should be a fair mixture of Protestants and Catholics in the Police Force, and are not the Catholics the majority of the inhabitants of this town?
§ MR. CAMPBELL-BANNERMANI do not admit the accuracy of the figures quoted by the hon. Member.