HC Deb 20 February 1888 vol 322 c882
COLONEL WARING (Down, N.)

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland a Question of which I have given him private Notice. It is, Whether he can give the House any information as to the alleged meeting of a suppressed branch of the National League at Droumtariff, as reported in United Ireland, on the 28th of January last, and quoted by the hon. Member for North-East Cork (Mr. W. O'Brien) in his recent speech?

THE CHIEF SECRETARY (Mr. A. J. BALFOUR) (Manchester, E.)

The facts are—as reported by the local police—that on the day in question no meeting whatever of this branch took place. The only thing which, by any stretch of imagination, could be construed into a meeting was a football match, which took place in a field at a place called Islandhill, near Droumtariff; and if any election took place, or any voting occurred, as reported in United Ireland, it must have been in the course of this match. Certainly no attempt whatever was made to hold a meeting in the League Hall, or in any other place in Droumtariff on this occasion.

MR. W. O'BRIEN (Cork Co., N. E.)

asked, Whether the statement the right hon. Gentleman had just read out was given on the authority of the local policemen, who failed to detect the meeting?

MR. T. M. HEALY (Longford, N.)

asked, Why the Question had not been answered by the right hon. and gallant Gentleman the Member for the Isle of Thanet (Colonel King-Harman)?

MR. A. J. BALFOUR

As I said in my reply to the hon. and learned Member a short time ago, I am always here to answer Questions put without Notice when such a course seems desirable.

MR. T. M. HEALY

Was the hon. and gallant Member (Colonel Waring) asked to put the Question to the right hon. Gentleman?

[No reply.]