HC Deb 04 August 1887 vol 318 c1136
MR. GILHOOLY (Cork, W.)

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether he has received a letter from the Returning Officer of the Bantry Union on the 19th of May, in which the following passage occurred:— I have to state that I have made inquiry, and have ascertained that Constable Kavanagh left a voting paper at the house of Timothy McCarthy, of Glanlough, and that he did not call for same paper; why he did not call for the voting paper 1 cannot tell; and, if the above answer was received, if he could explain why the Parliamentary Under Secretary did not quote it when answering the Question on the subject; and whether he will cause further inquiry into the matter?

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

(who replied) said, the letter referred to was received on the 18th of May. Constable Kavanagh, however, explained, in reference to this letter, that he actually called at the house for a voting paper; but a man named Arundel, who was in, refused to give it to him. If the hon. Member had any further evidence he could furnish to the Government they would certainly consider whether an inquiry was necessary.

MR. GILHOOLY

asked the right hon. and gallant Gentleman, if he considered the constable was more to be believed than the Returning Officer?

COLONEL KING-HARMAN

said, he was willing to allow the hon. Member to see the letter he had received on the subject.