HC Deb 15 March 1886 vol 303 cc795-6
CAPTAIN M'CALMONT (Antrim, E.)

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, If the following incidents, in connection with the state of things existing in Woodford, county Galway, are correct; whether James Connor, shopkeeper, of Woodford, is completely boycotted for supplying goods to the police; whether Michael Dwyer, ear driver, of Woodford, was boycotted, attacked, and beaten for having driven the police, and if he is now under police protection; whether several gamekeepers, wood rangers, rent warners, and bailiffs on properties in the locality were brought up before the Woodford Branch of the National League, and were compelled to leave their situations; whether only one eviction has up to the present been carried out on the estate of Sir Henry Burke, that of a man named "Francis O'Farrell," and whether the local National League organ, The Western News and Weekly Examiner of 13th February, stated that "O'Farrell was in a position to pay twenty times the amount of the claim made on him;" whether many tenants in the parish of Woodford are prevented paying their rents by the grossest intimidation; and, whether speakers at National League meetings there have advised open resistance to the Law?

MR. HARRIS (Galway, E.)

said, he would like to ask, at the same time, whether it was true that Sir Henry Burke took out 60 ejectment decrees at the January Sessions against tenants on these estates, and that Mrs. Hewett took out 26 decrees against tenants who had paid the hanging gale, and, therefore, could not be legally ejected?

MR. SPEAKER

The hon. Member's Notice contravenes the Regulations of the House passed last week.

MR. HARRIS

Sir, the ejectments—

MR. SPEAKER

Order, order!

THE CHIEF SECRETARY (Mr. JOHN MORLEY) (Newcastle-on-Tyne)

I am sorry to say, in answer to the hon. and gallant Member, that my information does not enable me to contradict, in any material point, the statements made in this Question. The state of affairs in and about Woodford is undoubtedly, as I informed the House last week, extremely bad, and has been for some days engaging the close and active attention of the Irish Government. The police give all possible protection, and are using every effort to procure evidence of offences. The meetings referred to in the last paragraph of the Question were held in private, and, as the police were therefore not present, it is impossible to know with any accuracy what passed or did not pass.

MR. SEXTON (Sligo, S.)

asked whether the right hon. Gentleman had any information that three tenants in that district, whose farms had been sold by auction for arrears, on coming into the agent's office and offering to settle the rent were told by him that they could not settle unless all the other tenants paid their rent?

MR. JOHN MORLEY

said, he had not heard of it.

CAPTAIN M'CALMONT

asked whether the right hon. Gentleman was aware that the bad state of things at Woodford was due to the presence of a prominent member of the National League named Higgins?

[No reply.]