HC Deb 26 August 1886 vol 308 c551
MR. DILLWYN (Swansea Town)

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, If his attention has been directed to the recent resistance to the collection of tithes in the parish of Llanarmon yn Yale, in North Wales; and, if so, whether he has reason to believe that such resistance was of an organised nature, and is likely to extend to other parishes?

MR. KENYON (Denbigh, &c.)

also asked the Home Secretary, Whether his attention had been called to a letter printed in The Bauer Cymrw of August 21, signed J. Jones, in the course of which the following extract occurred:— (Translation.)—"It is likely that the sale will take place some day next week. If so, we are inviting all the farmers in the country here that day. It will he a great day to remember. Preparation day for the disestablishment and disendowment of the Church in Wales will that day be; and, whether that constituted a resistance to the law of an organized nature as described by the hon. Member for Swansea (Mr. Dillwyn)?

THE SECRETARY OF STATE (Mr. MATTHEWS) (Birmingham, E.)

Yes, Sir; my attention has been called to this matter, and I am informed by the Chief Constable of the county of Denbigh that the resistance to the collection of tithes in the parish of Llanarmon is of an organized nature; but that it is impossible for him to say at present whether it is likely to extend to other parishes. In answer to my hon. Friend I have to say that my attention has been recently called to a letter signed by John Jones, one of the farmers distrained upon; and as far as I can gather from the learned language in which it is veiled—the Welsh—it does indicate an organized resistance to the payment of tithe.

MR. SEXTON (Sligo, S., and Belfast, W.)

asked whether it was the intention of the Government to send a military officer to take command in Wales?

[No reply.]