§ DR. TANNER (Cork Co., Mid)asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether his attention has been directed to a case tried before a Court constituted under the Criminal Law and Procedure (Ireland) Act, sitting at Blarney, on Monday last, when a charge of intimidation was preferred by an Emergency man named Alexander Fitzpatrick against a foreman operative in Mahony's Mills, Blarney; whether it is a fact that, after five witnesses had been heard for the defence, and 11 more preferred, the case was summarily dismissed; how many outrages perpetrated by Emergency men have been heard during the past 12 months at the Blarney Petty Sessions; and, whether a prosecution for perjury will be immediately instituted against Fitzpatrick? The hon. Gentleman, in putting the question, said: In the much lamented absence of the Chief Secretary, I beg to ask the Solcitor General for Ireland No. 24.
§ THE SOLICITOR GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. MADDEN) (Dublin University)I am informed that it is the case—a man named Michael Spillane was prosecuted at the suit of Alexander Fitzpatrick, a caretaker of an evicted farm, for having threatened and intimidated him. The magistrates, having heard five witnesses for the defence, and there being no corroborative evidence for the prosecution, decided to dismiss the case. No outrages of the nature referred to in the 3rd paragraph have been heard at the Blarney Petty Sessions during the past 12 months. The Authorities see no ground to adopt the course suggested in the last paragraph.
§ DR. TANNERasked for a more definite answer to the third part of his Question. How many outrages—out- 1513 rages pure and simple—had been committed?
§ MR. MADDENreplied that, so far as he was informed, no outrages of this sort had occurred during the last 12 months.
§ DR. TANNERsaid, he would repeat that portion of the Question.