§ MR. DILLONI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether the Sheriff is bound to find means of conveyance for himself and his men when he is going on eviction duty, or to seize under a decree; and, if so, on what ground ships of Her Majesty's Navy are placed at the disposal of the Sheriff and his officers when going to evict tenants, or to seize for rent, on islands off the coast of Ireland?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURThe Sheriff, under ordinary circumstances, is bound to find the means of conveyance for himself and his assistants to effect evictions; but where the forces of the Crown are requisitioned to secure the carrying out of the law in cases where the opposition to the evictions would otherwise render its enforcement impossible, the Government have decided that the Sheriff may be afforded accommodation in Her Majesty's ships for himself and assistants, with the protecting police force when they have to proceed by sea, the Sheriff, as already explained, paying the expenses of subsistence for his party.
§ MR. DILLONAs this is a very important question, I wish to ask the Home Secretary if it is true that the gunboat Britomart took away from Blasket Islands the property of the fishermen; and whether Her Majesty's Government have determined not only to assist in carrying out evictions, but also to despoil the fishermen of their property?
§ MR. MATTHEWSI am afraid that I must have notice of the question.