§ MR. CONWAY (Leitrim, N.)asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether his attention had been called to a report in the London Standard, of Friday, 25th February, in which is set forth a record of the proceedings of Mr. Smith, R.M., and the police under his charge, in connection with the carrying out evictions on the property of Mr. Montgomery, of Dowra, County Leitrim; whether Mr. Smith directed the police to charge with their bâtons the crowd gathered together to witness the proceedings; whether, subsequently, Mr. Smith gave orders for the police to load their rifles with buckshot, and ordered them to fire, when a number of people fell wounded; how many persons are seriously injured; whether any deaths are likely to result from injuries inflicted by the police; and, whether the Government will take steps to ensure the fullest inquiry into the whole of the proceedings?
§ SIR JOHN SWINBURNE (Staffordshire, Lichfield)asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, If he can state under what circumstances Mr. Smith, R.M., ordered an escort of police under his command to fire upon a crowd at Dowra, County Leitrim, on Thursday last; what was the injury 712 caused by the firing; and, if any loss of life ensued?
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY (Sir MICHAEL HICKS-BEACH) (Bristol, W.)I have obtained a full Report on this subject, and I would ask the House to allow me to quote from it at some length, as it shows the difficulties under which the police have to act on these occasions, and what is really meant by what the hon. Member (Mr. Conway) called "crowds gathered to witness the proceedings." The Sub-Sheriff of Leitrim proceeded last week, in the discharge of his duty, to carry out a small number of evictions in the neighbourhood of Dowra. Notwithstanding the fact that he was accompanied by a protecting force of 100 police, he was met by obstruction so violent and obstinate that the work occupied two days, the police on the second day being on duty for 13 hours. The mobs were composed, mainly of strangers gathered in from other districts. The stone-throwing was excessively violent—so much, so that the majority of the 100 police on duty, officers and men, were wounded more or less severely. One constable was rendered insensible for some time. On the first day there was no firing. The mob was charged by a party of bâton men. No woman or child was bâtoned. After this the crowds, though they continued stone-throwing, kept at a distance. On the second day the violent resistance was renewed, and it was greatly facilitated by the nature of the ground. After traversing a road which had been found blocked by loose stone walls and bushes, the Sheriff had to pass through a narrow defile, flanked by steep hills. The hills were occupied by parties of men, who flung volleys of stones, and hurled down large boulders, which were dashed with great force across the road. These people had to be dislodged before the Sheriff could be conducted through the defile; and this was done with difficulty, after the Riot Act had been read, but not until one round of buckshot had been fired. Later on, in order to reach, one of the houses, the Sheriff and his party had to ascend a very steep hill, when they were so violently assailed by the mob that it was found impossible to proceed until after 12 shots had been fired by the police. The crowds then moved off and commenced to reconstruct the barricades on 713 the road by which, it was thought the police would return. The order to fire was only given as a last resort. Without it the execution of the writs must have been abandoned. It is not easy to get accurate information as to the result of the firing; but it is believed by the police that two persons were wounded, one badly. If any statement on this subject calling for inquiry is brought under my notice, inquiry shall be made. But at present I prefer to believe the Report from which I have quoted to newspaper gossip; and, judging from that, it is my opinion that the officers and men employed on this service did their duty well.
§ DR. TANNER (Cork Co., Mid)asked the right hon. gentleman to state whether, according to the medical evidence, the police were really injured, or whether it was only bogus?
§ [No reply.]
§ SIR JOHN SWINBURNEasked if the right hon. Gentleman had taken steps to ascertain how many persons had been injured, and killed, and wounded?
§ SIR MICHAEL HICKS-BEACHsaid, he had already answered that, so far as the police had been able to ascertain, two persons had been wounded.