§ MR. J. O'CONNORI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieu tenant of Ireland whether his attention has been called to the Report published in the Glasgow Evening Citizen of an interview which purports to have been held between its special reporter in Tipperary and District Inspector Gamble; whether District Inspector Gamble refused to inform Father Humphries, when asked by him, whether the report of the interview was correct, or not; and whether it is usual, or in accordance with the rules of the Irish police service that officers of that body should grant interviews to newspaper reporters? I also desire to know whether, as the Inspector made slanderous statements, the right hon. Gentleman is of opinion that he ought to be retained in the service?
§ *MR. SPEAKEROrder, order! That is not a proper question to put, and it has already been struck out of the Paper.
§ MR. J. O'CONNORI desire to know whether it is intended to retain the services of an officer of this kind, who indulges in the practice of slandering the people of Tipperary?
§ *MR. SPEAKERThat is not a proper question to put. I call on Dr. Tanner to put his question.
§ DR. TANNERI decline to ask my question.
§ MR. J. O'CONNORI beg to say I will repeat the question to-morrow.
§ *MR. SPEAKERIf the question were put in the proper and ordinary terms, no doubt it would be answered now.
§ MR. J. O'CONNORWill you allow me, Mr. Speaker, to put my question now as it stands on the Paper?
§ *MR. SPEAKERCertainly.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURThe Constabulary Authorities report that it is true that such an interview took place, and that the rev. gentleman referred to received the answer indicated in the question. There was nothing unusual in granting the interview.
§ MR. CLANCY) (Dublin County, N.Was it the object of the rev. gentleman to test certain statements made by the Chief Secretary, and is it the practice to give extraordinary facilities for making serious allegations against the Irish people?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI am not aware that the constabulary at any time have done anything to suppress the circulation of the truth. I cannot say what was the intention which animated the reporter in seeking the interview.
§ MR. CLANCYWhat I complain of is that facilities are given to one Party and refused to another.
§ MR. T. M. HEALYHas the Chief Secretary read the account of the interview, and does he approve of the language used?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI do not know what it was.
§ MR. T. M. HEALYThen the right hon. Gentleman has not read the account of the interview?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURNo.
§ MR. T. M. HEALYWill he make it his business to read it?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURIf hon. Gentlemen will put any questions on the Paper I will endeavour to answer them.
§ MR. CLANCYI wish to give notice that I will call attention to the matter.
§ MR. J. O'CONNORMay I ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether complaints have reached him that the houses of 966 prominent Nationalists in Tipperary are at the present time continuously surrounded by policemen, from an early hour in the morning till after dark; that such people and their visitors are accompanied by policemen, who walk by their side, and when they stop to speak to any person or persons, they are told to "move on," and if they protest against this intrusion, are rudely pushed off the footpath on to the roadway; that the local leaders of the town are attended in all their movements by two policemen, who lie in waiting for them until they set out on their business, and should they go into the houses of their neighbours, are accompanied by them into the private apartments of those houses by these policemen, who persist in remaining, despite the protests of the owners of the houses; and whether this action of the police is according to instructions from the superior Police Authorities?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURThe Constabulary Authorities report that it is the case that, owing to the extensive system of boycotting which it has been attempted to establish in Tipperary, the local police have orders to closely watch all persons believed to be concerned in promoting the boycotting; but that it is not the case that persons are pushed off the footpath, nor do the police enter private apartments.
§ MR. W. O'BRIEN (Cork Co., N.E.)May I ask whether, in view of the extreme urgency of the whole question, the right hon. Gentleman will consider the advisability of referring it to a Special Committee of the House, or, if he pleases, to a Special Commission, which should inquire into the whole nature and origin of the struggle between the people and the police?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI am not aware that any doubt exists as to what the hon. Gentleman calls "the struggle" in Tipperary, or as to the incidents which accompanied it. I think the hon. Member would be the last to deny that boycotting, of which Father Humphreys boasts, exists in the locality.
§ MR. J. O'CONNORHave not the statements been made in most credible newspapers? I shall take an early opportunity of moving the adjournment of the House to call attention to the matter.
§ MR. T. M. HEALYIs it not a fact that the Times sent over a special correspondent, who was so persistently harrassed by the police that he had to go to the police barracks to complain of it?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI never heard of it.