§ MR. T. E. ELLIS (Merionethshire)asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether he has made inquiry into the circumstances of the attack by the police on the people attending tithe sales at Llanefydd, County of Denbigh, on Thursday morning, May 17; and, whether he can state to the House the justification for ordering and making the attack?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE (Mr. MATTHEWS) (Birmingham, E.)Yes, Sir; I have made inquiry, and received a Report from the Chief Constable of the county, from which I gather that there was not an attack by the police on the people, but, on the contrary, that an angry crowd rushed in a body upon the bailiffs, who were around the collecting agent; a fight began; the police thereupon interfered in order to protect the bailiffs and were themselves assaulted by the mob, and had to draw their truncheons. The action of the police appears to have been fully justified under all the circumstances of the case.
§ MR. T. E. ELLISinquired, whether the disturbance did not begin by an attack upon a man in the crowd by Mr. Stephens, the distraining agent of the Charity Commissioners; whether he did not rush at the man's throat; and whether three or four "emergency men," with whips and bâtons, did not beat him down; and whether the police and "emergency men" did not then make an attack on the crowd?
§ MR. SPEAKEROrder, order! The hon. Member is now rather making a counter statement than asking a Question.
§ MR. MATTHEWSsaid, he would make further inquiries.