§ MR. P. O'BRIEN (Monaghan, N.)asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether the attack alleged to have been made upon the Rev. Mathew Macaulay, Presbyterian Minister of Castleblayney, and his wife by an Orange drumming party on the 1st of July last on the public highway, the subsequent desecration of his church on 10th July, and the further alleged combination among certain persons to induce certain other persons, members of the Rev. Mr. Macaulay's congregation, to refrain from doing that which they had a right to do—namely, pay him a certain stipend, was reported to the police, and these charges investigated by County Inspector Ireland and Head Constable Gartland; and, whether these alleged offences are included in the Return relating to Agrarian Offences, Ireland, for the year 1886, under the heads "Sacrilege," "Riots and Affrays," "Intimidation," "Attacking Houses," "Injury to Property," "Injury to Place of Worship," "Obstructing Highway," or any other heading; and, if not, will he explain the reason for the omission?
§ THE PARLIAMENTARY UNDER SECRETARY (Colonel KING-HARMAN) (Kent, Isle of Thanet)(who replied) said: The occurrences referred to wore carefully investigated by the officers named. The attack alleged to have been made by an Orange drumming party was inquired into at once by the District Inspector; but Mr. Macaulay declined to give the names of those who had interfered with him. On July 11 some persons obtained admission into Mr. Macaulay's church, and some Orange lilies were hung up, and the words "No Home Rule" were placed upon the pulpit. There are, I am informed, no grounds for believing that a combination was entered into by members of the rev. gentleman's congregation to prevent his being paid any portion of his stipend. The proceedings in question were not considered of sufficient gravity to be included in the Outrage Returns for 1886.