HC Deb 04 August 1887 vol 318 cc1137-8
Mr. SEXTON (Belfast, W.)

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, If he can throw any light on the fact that the same post which conveyed to the Irish Constabulary stations copies of the Proclamations lately issued under the Criminal Law Amendment (Ireland) Act, brought also, addressed to the sergeant in charge of each station, a parcel of the pamphlets issued by The Times, entitled "Parnellism and Crime?" I referred to the Act by its popular title; but as that has been altered, I wish to say the title by which it is described in the Question is neither the popular nor the legal title. The Act to which I referred is called the Criminal Law and Procedure Act, 1887.

THE PARLIAMENTARY UNDER SECRETARY (Colonel KING-HARMAN) (Kent, Isle of Thanet)

(who replied) said: the Inspector General of Constabulary knows nothing about the transmission of the pamphlets alluded to, except that the Inspector of the County Cork (West Riding) reports that copies were sent anonymously by post to almost every station in his Riding. The pamphlets were not sent by the same post as the Proclamations under the Act.

MR. SEXTON

I wish to ask the right hon. and gallant Gentleman, whether it is in accordance with the Rules of the Irish Constabulary Force that docu- ments like The Times pamphlets should be about police stations in Ireland; and, whether the Government will instruct the sergeant in charge of each station to destroy these documents?

COLONEL KING-HARMAN

I am not aware that there are any instructions in the Constabulary Code forbidding the constables taking in any literature they like. I myself have seen copies of United Ireland at the stations.

MR. SEXTON

Does the right hon. and gallant Gentleman mean to say that the Irish police stations can be used for the purpose of disseminating political libels with the consent of the Government?

COLONEL KING-HARMAN

I have no reason to suppose that there is anything in the Code to prevent the Irish Constabulary receiving copies of The Times or extracts from The Times.