§ CAPTAIN M'CALMONT (Antrim, E.)asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether his attention had been drawn to a recent case in the county Longford, wherein three orders for attachment had been issued against three persons for contempt of court; whether the contempt of court consisted in forcibly retaking possession of a farm from which they had been evicted; whether the Sheriff had only been successful in arresting one of the parties, John Clarke, now in Sligo Gaol; whether, in alluding to the other two cases, Judge Boyd had said, as follows:—
That it was a strange state of affairs to which the Country was reduced, when there was a warrant issued by one of Her Majesty's Courts, and the authorities refused to give the police authority to execute the warrant. The idea of a sheriff making a return that, in consequence of the refusal of the authorities to give police protection before 8 a.m., the two persons could not be arrested;and, whether the Irish Executive contemplated taking any steps to carry out the Law?
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY (Mr. JOHN MORLEY) (Newcastle-on-Tyne)I am informed that the local Constabulary authorities acted as stated, relying on a 1794 section of their Code, which provides that in certain cases protection parties are not to start in winter before 8 in the morning. I am advised, however, that the section relied on does not apply to proceedings such as were contemplated on the occasion referred to, and the Constabulary authorities have been so informed.