§ MR. JOHNSTON (Belfast, S.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland if his attention has been called to the following extract from United Ireland of the 27th April,. referring to the occupation of farms on Lord Massereene's estate in the county Louth: "The proposed plantation of little gangs of Northern Orange landgrabbers in the houses and holdings of Catholic evicted tenants, and in the heart of Catholic and National districts, if for one moment we could suppose it possible, must of necessity beget stern resistance and retaliation….The evicted tenants would be more or less than human if they patiently permitted their homes and holdings to be held by 1083 these greedy and unconscionable intruders;" and what steps will be taken to secure the lives and liberties of the new tenants thus threatened? Perhaps I may be allowed to supplement the question by asking if there is any law in Ireland to punish incitement to assassination by the organ of the National league?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI do not know how I can answer that question without notice, seeing that it involves a legal point. As to the question on the Paper, I have not seen the paragraph referred to by my hon. Friend. Every precaution will be taken to secure the safety of these persons.