§ THE LORD MAYOR OF DUBLIN (Mr. SEXTON) (Belfast, W.)asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether he is aware that in Ireland lately the police have resorted to the practice of taking men out of their beds in the dead of night, mostly upon warrants for charges under the Coercion Act; why the arrests of six tenant farmers at Curass, near Kanturk, on the 14th instant, were made at 2 a.m., although the occurrence which was the subject of the charge dated so far back as March 23, and although, after the men had been held in custody at the police barrack for about 20 hours, the police assented to their release on bail; and, whether the Government will instruct the Irish police not to cause unnecessary confusion and alarm in households, and especially to women and children, by making arrests of persons of respectable condition in the dead of night?
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY (Mr. A. J. BALFOUR) (Manchester, E.)I am informed that arrests are not made at night, except in cases where the re- 814 sponsible officer has reason to suppose that arrest would otherwise be evaded or rescue attempted. The District Inspector of Constabulary was of opinion he could not execute the warrants in the case in question were he to attempt to do so later in the day.
§ MR. SEXTONsaid, that the right hon. Gentleman had not answered the third paragraph of the Question.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURsaid, he did not think there was any necessity whatever to issue the instructions referred to, for he had no reason to believe the Irish police did cause unnecessary alarm and confusion in households.
§ MR. FLYNN (Cork, N.)asked, if people in the neighbourhood of Curass had not been summoned under the Coercion Act, and attended the Court in answer to the summons?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURsaid, the facts might be as the hon. Gentleman stated. He had no knowledge of them; but, even if true, he did not see how they affected the issue raised by the Question.