§ MR. J. F. X. O'BRIEN (Mayo, S.)asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, If his attention has been called to a paragraph in The Daily News of this date (21st instant), referring to disturbances in Belfast on Saturday last, in which, after describing the arrest of a prisoner, it is stated—
As soon as this was done, the mob, which had now become large, began to violently stone the police. Despite the attacks made on them, the Constabulary arrested, not only Edge-worth, but six others … Matters to-day (Sunday) passed over quietly; but to-night, in Millfield, there was more stone throwing. A numerous body of police were soon present, and charged the mob with their batons;and, if he will explain why people in Youghal, and other parts of Ireland outside of Ulster, are to be charged with the sword bayonet, and oven to be fired upon, for resistance to the police, while only the baton, or at worst the bayonet, is employed in Belfast?
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY (Mr. A. J. BALFOUR) (Manchester, E.)The report referred to is substantially correct as regards the disturbance in Belfast on Saturday last; but the circumstances of the following Sunday were not of the serious character suggested. As regards the insinuation made in the last paragraph of the Question, I may inform the hon. Member that the police will use the means for quelling disturbance, or resisting attack, which the circumstances of each case may unhappily render necessary without regard to distinctions of place, Party, or religion.