§ MR. SHEEHY (Galway, S.)asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether certain placards, calling on the people in the neighbourhood of Woodford to come and save the harvest belonging to the evicted tenants and others who were arrested during the recent evictions, were torn down by the police; what authority the police had for so doing; and, will they be prevented from doing so in the future?
§ THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR IRELAND (MR. HOLMES) (Dublin University)The placards referred to were removed by the police on the grounds, as the District Inspector reports, that, owing to the lawless demeanour displayed by the people at Woodford at the recent evictions in that neighbourhood and the excitement still prevailing, the police considered the placards of a highly inflammatory nature. Having seen and read one of them, I am of opinion that, not merely were they highly inflammatory, but that they had a direct tendency to lead to a breach of the public peace, and that the police were perfectly justified in their action.
§ MR. SHEEHYasked, if the right hon. and learned Gentleman would read the inflammatory language to the House?
§ [No reply.]