§ THE LORD MAYOR OF DUBLIN (Mr. SEXTON) (Belfast, W.)asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether, on Sunday the 24th ultimo, at Swinford, County Mayo, a body of about 50 police, under the command of Mr. Peter Walsh, J.P., paid Vice Guardian of the Swinford Union, and District Inspector Allen, charged the members of a local football club whilst they were quietly walking from their practising field to their rooms in the main street of the town; whether Mr. Walsh ordered the members of the club to clear off the street in five minutes, and threatened to order the police to fire upon them; whether Mr. Walsh is the same person against whom an injunction was recently granted by Judge Boyd, for illegal conduct in his capacity as Vice Guardian; whether Mr. Walsh is a Justice of the Peace for the County of Mayo; and, whether he will be directed to confine himself, whilst at Swinford, to his duties as paid Vice Guardian?
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY (Mr. A. J. BALFOUR) (Manchester, E.)The Inspector General of Constabulary reports that the allegations contained in the first two paragraphs are altogether inaccurate. A football match had been played that day between the local Commercial Club and a Club from a neighbouring town. The latter Club was preparing to leave the hotel to return home, when the Gaelic Athletic Club, which is bitterly opposed to the Commercial Club, marched with their band past the hotel groaning the visiting Club; and instead of proceeding to their room they returned by the back of the town, and were approaching the hotel again when the District Inspector of Constabulary, seeing that a breach of 1749 the peace was imminent, sent for the magistrate referred to, and ordered out all his available men, 30, not 50, in number, and formed a cordon across the street, requiring the Club band to return to their rooms at the opposite end of the town, while permitting the other members to proceed down the main street to their dressing room. There does not appear to have been any charge, nor was there any threat used as to ordering the police—who had only their bâtons—to fire upon the members of the Club or their band. A conditional order for attachment against the Vice Guardians of Swinford Union—of whom Mr. Walsh is one—for contempt of Court in connection with their proceedings for the recovery of rates was issued; but when the case came on for hearing the Judge appears to have stated that, on reading the affidavits in the matter, he was perfectly satisfied that the Vice Guardians' proceedings were bonâ fide, and he discharged the order. Mr. Walsh is a Justice of the Peace for the County of Mayo. He has proved himself a very efficient Vice Guardian; and I have every reason to believe that he would not allow his duties in that capacity to be interfered with by any avoidable extraneous duties. I do not, therefore, see any ground to adopt the course suggested.
§ MR. SEXTONWhen was Mr. Walsh appointed a Justice of County Mayo?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI have no information upon the subject.
§ MR. SEXTONUpon the Estimates for the Local Government Board I shall call attention to the way in which this Vice Guardian is allowed to constitute himself a public nuisance.