§ MR. NOLAN (Louth, N.)asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that Mr. E. K. Supple, D.I., Royal Irish Constabulary, was summoned by Mr. James Callan, Bridge Street, Dundalk, before Petty Sessions, held in Dundalk on June 29, for having used language calculated to provoke a breach of the peace; and that, during the hearing of the case, it was sworn by three respectable witnesses that Mr. Supple said to the plaintiff on June 20 "I will get your neck wrung off;" that, notwithstanding Mr. Supple's denial of the charge, the judgment of the Court was that—
We believe that Mr. Supple may have used the language complained of; but we do not consider it was calculated to lead to a breach of the peace;how long has Mr. Supple been stationed in Dundalk; what is the usual limit of time which Inspectors in the Royal Irish Constabulary are allowed to remain in one district; whether be is aware that last year Mr. Supple, in an action brought against him for assault, battery, and false imprisonment, settled the case by the payment of £20 and the plaintiff's costs; and, in consequence of the evidence in that action, was condemned by the Court, severely admonished by the Inspector General, and publicly censured in this House by the Under Secretary for Ireland; and, whether, taking all the circumstances of the case into consideration, he will, 1397 if he cannot see his way to taking more prompt and vigorous action, order an open inquiry into the general character and conduct of Mr. Supple in his present position?
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY (Mr. A. J. BALFOUR) (Manchester, E.)I am informed that the summons against the District Inspector named was in connection with his having, by direction of the Divisional Magistrate, ordered a disorderly mob to disperse. The magistrates did say that the language in question, which was deposed to by Mr. Callan and two witnesses, may have been used by the District Inspector; but that they did not consider it was calculated to lead to a breach of the peace. They marked the case "no rule." The District Inspector, however, states he did not use the words attributed to him. He has been stationed at Dundalk since 1859. There is, I understand, no time fixed for an officer to serve in a district. I am aware of the Parliamentary Question of last Session alluded to, and the circumstances which gave rise to it. I do not see any necessity to adopt the course suggested in the concluding portion of the Question.