§ MR. CONYBEARE (Cornwall, Camborne)asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether Mr. Ferriter, of Dingle, is still in prison on the charge of having called out "Harvey Duff" and "Stringer" at a public meeting in Dingle on the 16th January last; how long he has been in prison; whether, considering that on the hearing of the case no evidence whatever was adduced to prove that the peaceable conduct of the meeting was in any way disturbed by Mr. Ferriter, or the least indication of attack upon either the Government reporter or the police was manifested, he will order his release; and, whether he will enable the hon. Member for the Camborne Division of Cornwall, who was present at the meeting in question from first to last, to give him information as to what actually took place?
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY (Mr. A. J. BALFOUR) (Manchester, E.)Mr. Ferriter has been in custody since the 18th of February, having been committed for two months in default of giving bail for his good behaviour for the offence of having been guilty of conduct calculated to lead to a breach of the peace. Evidence was given proving to the satisfaction of the magistrates that, following upon the use of the expressions referred to, several attempts were made to crush the Government reporter against the platform.
§ MR. CHANCE (Kilkenny, S.)asked, if the right hon. Gentleman was aware of Mr. Ferriter's motive in using the expressions "Harvey Duff" and "Stringer?"
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURsaid, he did not know; but he must remind the hon. Member that these expressions might be meaningless to them, but that they wore recognized watchwords, and, being recognized watchwords, would very easily lead to disturbance.
§ MR. CONYBEAREasked, if the right hon. Gentleman was aware whether the names of the Government reporters were either "Harvey Duff" or "Stringer?" He himself was present during all that meeting, and he could swear that no attempt whatever had been made to crush the Government reporter. Perhaps he might be allowed to give such evidence as would enable the right hon. Gentleman to release this gentleman from custody.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURsaid, he had already stated that he hoped the hon. Member would give him all the information at his disposal. He regretted if the hon. Member had rebutting evidence, and if he had not an opportunity of laying it before the Court.
§ MR. EDWARD HARRINGTON (Kerry, W.)asked, whether the right hon. Gentleman was aware that it had been reported by the police that there was not a single disturbance; and, whether the alleged crushing was the ordinary swaying of the crowd, packed into a narrow part of the street on the occasion?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURsaid, he had only received the information which he had given.
§ MR. CONYBEAREasked, if he would be permitted to lay such evidence before the right hon. Gentleman as would induce him to reconsider his decision?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURYes.