§ MR. WEBB (Waterford, W.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that on Sunday, 8th of June, a number of police constables and detectives (some of the police wearing side arms and carrying revolvers) entered the grounds of the Catholic Chapel at Abbeyside, County Waterford, as the usual open air Corpus Christi procession was being carried out, and remained on duty until the ceremonies had concluded; that on the same occasion two disguised policemen (one of them a Protestant named Rawson) entered the church with the procession and remained there until the congregation had left; and can he explain what was the object of this action towards people of the district while engaged in celebrating one of the most sacred and impressive ceremonies of their religion?
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY FOR IRELAND (Mr. A. J. BALFOUR,) Manchester, E.The Constabulary Authorities report that four constables only entered the chapel grounds on the occasion in question. None of them wore side arms or carried revolvers. All were Roman Catholics, and desired to be witnesses of the procession.