§ MR. T. M. HEALY (Longford, N.)asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether the information laid before Parliament by the Parliamentary Under Secretary for Ireland, relating to police statistics as to Irish crime in the last six or seven years, during which time the House had passed so much criminal legislation, did not give an entirely incorrect view of the real state of crime prevailing in Ireland; and, if so, whether the Government would not take steps which would give to the House a true picture of the terrible state of affairs in Ireland?
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY (Mr. A. J. BALFOUR) (Manchester, E.)The statement of the Parliamentary Under Secretary for Ireland is perfectly accurate. I have improved the method of taking statistics since I have been at the Irish Office; and if the hon. and learned Member has read a Memorandum which I laid on the Table of the House with reference to statistics, he will see that the statement of the Under Secretary is practically confirmed. A full and complete view of agrarian crime in Ireland cannot be obtained from Police Returns.
§ MR. T. M. HEALYI read the right hon. Gentleman's Memorandum, which I think quite misleading. I would like to ask him what means he proposes to take—it cannot be done by magic lantern—to give the House a complete view of the lurid state of Ireland alleged to exist?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI cannot deal with that question in the course of an answer; but I will ask the hon. and I learned Gentleman to recollect that I 389 have said that every statement made | statistically about crime in Ireland errs—if it docs err—by being under the mark.
§ MR. T. M. HEALYI wish to ask, whose fault it is that every statement made with respect to crime in Ireland is under the mark; and what stops have been taken to punish the persons who have hitherto been misleading the House?
§ [No reply.]