HC Deb 17 June 1890 vol 345 cc1145-8
MR. PICTON (Leicester)

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland what are the authorities or official persons who determine whether any individual is so notoriously engaged in boycotting or intimidation as to be rightly subject to shadowing by the police in Ireland; whether such authorities or official persons take any evidenee before they order a man to be shadowed; whether the accused has any opportunity of defence; and is there any limit fixed to the period during which a man may be shadowed without being brought before a legal tribunal to be tried for the offence in which he is held to be notoriously engaged?

MR. A. J. BALFOUR

The Divisional Commissioner or other Local Authority responsible for the carrying out of the law' in the district directs the duty in question. The directions are given on information being forthcoming that the suspect is actively engaged in promoting illegal practices. It is not usual to inform the suspected person that he is being watched. To do so would render the obtaining of evidence with a view to prosecution more difficult. No limit of the nature mentioned in the last paragraph can be fixed, but, as I explained! Yester day, the shadowing is at once stopped as soon as there is any ground for thinking it unnecessary.

MR. PICTON

Does the right hon. Gentleman's answer apply to the new method of shadowing, by which one constable walks abreast of the shadowed man and another at his heels?

MR. A. J. BALFOUR

It applies to all shadowing in Ireland.

MR. BRADLAUGH

On what authority can anyone connected with the police give directions which could not possibly be for the detection or prevention of crime?

MR. SEXTON

Will the right hon. Gentleman see that a record of these orders for shadowing is kept, so that it may not be in the power of any constable to inflict this nuisance without leaving some trace of it behind?

MR. A. J. BALFOUR

There is always some such record kept, I imagine. With regard to the question of the hon. Member for Northampton (Mr. Brad-laugh) the prevention and reduction of crime is the justification for this shadowing.

MR. CONYBEARE

Will the right hon. Gentleman state on what authority, or upon what suspicion of crime, three ladies—namely, Lady Sandhurst, Miss Conybeare, and Miss Vivian—were shadowed by the police in Tipperary in the early days of July last year?

MR. A. J. BALFOUR

If the hon. Member will give notice of that question I will make inquiries on the subject.

DR. KENNY

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether he is aware that this system of shadowing has gone on to such an extent, and is of such an indiscriminate character, that two most respectable persons, who came from Manchester to Tipperary from mere motives of curiosity and to gain information, were also shadowed by the police to such an extent that that they were obliged to return to Dublin in disgust; and whether one of the persons shadowed was not connected with the right hon. Gentleman's Election Committee in Manchester?

MR. A. J. BALFOUR

I think the hon. Gentleman has got an incorrect version of the facts; but I will, if he wishes me to do so, make further inquiry.

MR. T. M. HEALY

Has the right hon. Gentleman any statistics as to the number of persons shadowed, and the number of police employed in that service?

MR. A. J. BALFOUR

I must have notice of the question.

MR. T. M. HEALY

Does the right hon. Gentleman not know the number?

MR. A. J. BALFOUR

Of course I do not know the number. I do not carry these statistics in my head.

MR. GILL

With reference to the new method of shadowing—namely, walking side by side with the person shadowed, and another policeman following at his heels—1 desire to ask the right hon. Gentleman what constitutes the superiority of that system over the old method?

MR. SPEAKER

Order, order!

MR. LENG (Dundee)

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether any charge of boycotting or intimidation has been made against the Rev. David Macrae, a minister of religion at Dundee, who is at present travelling in Ireland for the benefit of his health; and on what grounds he was recently "shadowed" by the police while travelling from New bridge to Clongorey?

MR. CAREW (Kildare, N.)

I have also to ask the right hon. Gentleman whether the Rev. Mr. Macrae, of Dundee, and his wife, when visiting Clongorey on Thursday last, were shadowed by a policeman-man name Keating, who followed them from point to point on a bicycle, going everywhere the visitors went to; and whether he can say why they were so shadowed?

MR. A. J. BALFOUR

I have asked for information, but have not yet obtained it. It is, therefore, necessary that I should ask for further time.