§ MR. FLYNN (Cork)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether his attention has been called to the newspaper reports of the manner in which Messrs. E. O'Brien, P.L.G. and James O'Brien were constantly followed by police constables at the last Midleton and Killeagh (County Cork) fairs; and whether this system of watching by the police at fairs and markets in Ireland will be allowed to continue; and, if so, will instructions be given to the Constabulary Authorities not to permit it to be exercised against individuals when engaged on their own private business transactions at fairs or elsewhere?
§ MR. GILL (Louth, S.)I also beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that great inconvenience is caused to persons visiting the markets in Drogheda by the shadowing of the police, who interfere with people in the transaction of their lawful business, and whether he will state the reason for such action by the police, and cause it to be discontinued?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURThe Constabulary Authorities report that the persons referred to were known to be actively engaged in endeavouring to boycott the sale of cattle by persons who had rendered themselves obnoxious by taking evicted farms, &c, or by having dealings with so-called obnoxious persons. The police have instructions to watch all persons engaged in this illegal practice, and to make them amenable to the law when possible. So long as the illegal system is pursued the police will continue to discharge this duty.
§ MR. FLYNNWill the right hon. Gentleman direct the constabulary to issue instructions that when a man is transacting his own business in ordinary buying and selling, he shall not be interfered with?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURThere is no desire on the part of the Constabulary Authorities to interfere with any man engaged in the ordinary transaction of his business.
§ MR. JOHN O'CONNORI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether it is a fact that, on the 7th instant, in the town of Tipperary, Mr. Robert Paul Gill, engineer, of New Tipperary, was accompanied by two policemen named Maddock and Gurry, who walked alongside of, and keeping step with him; whether Mr. Gill asked the policemen had they any business with him, and again would they persist in accompanying him in the same manner; whether Gurry said to Mad-dock, "Answer no more questions, we will do what we like," and continued to accompany Mr. Gill; and whether this procedure of the policemen is according to any special instructions to the police of Tipperary?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI am sorry that I am not able to answer the question of the hon. Member at present.