§ MR. W. REDMOND (Fermanagh, N.)asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether his attention has been called to the following letter, appearing in The Fermanagh Impartial Reporter of 9th February, from Mr. George Ritchie, of Shanroe, in which he says:—
My membership in Shanroe L.O.L. has been 15 years in good standing; during this time I was received as a member with courtesy and respect. Lately I had some trouble with a nephew, in reference to a will case; then the members of the above Lodge thought well to Boycott me, the majority of them taking part with a spirit of injustice on the aide of my nephew, who was also a member. They sent a message to the shopkeeper where I purchased my provisions, telling him not to sell to me, for 362 if he did he would lose trade by it. Not only this did they accomplish, but as individuals they brought a power to bear on butchers in the neighbourhood, so that it cost me five times the ordinary price to have my pigs killed. The next thing was they Boycotted the sale of my flax, in such a way that I had to pay a Nationalist to sell it in disguise. These illustrations only convey an idea of the many petty ways I have been annoyed at their hands, causing me considerable trouble and inconvenience;whether this case of Boycotting will be dealt with under the Criminal Law and Procedure (Ireland) Act; and, whether it has been included in the list of cases lately laid upon the Table of the House?
§ THE PARLIAMENTARY UNDER SECRETARY (Colonel KING-HARMAN) (Kent, Isle of Thanet)(who replied) said: Mr. George Ritchie states that the letter in question is a forgery, and that the allegations contained therein are untrue. I understand that a letter from him to that effect will appear in the next issue of the paper.