§ MR. COX (Clare, E.)asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether a letter was addressed by Colonel Turner's directions to the manager of a railway in the County of Clare, cautioning him against running special trains on Sunday, as they might be possibly used to subserve the objects of alleged illegal meetings; whether, in consequence, no trains were run on the railway on Sunday; and, whether there is anything in the Criminal Law and Procedure (Ireland) Act, or in any other Act, to authorize Colonel Turner to interfere with the traffic arrangements of Railway Companies; and, if not, whether the Government are prepared to compensate the Railway Company for the loss caused by the cessation of their traffic in consequence of this action on the part of Colonel Turner?
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY (Mr. A. J. BALFOUR) (Manchester, E.)It is the case that the Divisional Magistrate referred to caused, in accordance with the usual practice, a letter to be addressed to the traffic manager of a Railway Company in the County Clare, informing him of the contemplated holding of illegal meetings which had been duly proclaimed, and intimating that he did so in view of the possibility of special trains being engaged for the purpose of subserving or promoting such illegal meetings. I am not aware whether trains were or were not run on the railway on the occasion in question. The Divisional Magistrate did not act in the matter under the Criminal Law and Procedure (Ireland) Act; nor can his action be described as an interference with the traffic arrangements of the Company.
§ MR. COXWhat is the usual practice to which the right hen. Gentleman has referred? Can he cite a single instance where previously Railway Companies have been interfered with?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI have already informed the hon. Member that 1308 the Company was not interfered with. I am not aware of any previous interference.