§ MR. JOHNSTON) (Belfast, S.I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland if his attention has been called to an article in Murray's Magazine for May, entitled "Mad Tipperary," in which it is stated that Mr. Edward Phillips, a Protestant farmer of English descent, proclaimed at a meeting of the National League—
Is refused the common necessaries of life, the local chemist being afraid to make him up a prescription. The blacksmiths have declined to shoe his horses;…and he cannot even take his family to church, as accommodation for his horse and carriage is refused at the Cashel hotels,because he has refused to leave his home at the dictation of the League; whether it is true that—While the funeral of a little girl, the daughter of a constable, was taking place, volleys of stones were thrown at the sorrowing relatives as they stood round the grave.Whether "a midwife refused to attend a constable's wife in her confinement," and "said she had been warned against doing so;" and whether he will lay upon the Table of the House a full statement of these and similar cases before introducing the Local Government (Ireland) Bill?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURThe Constabulary Authorities report that it is the case that the gentleman mentioned has been so boycotted at the dictation of the National League as to be refused the necessaries of life; that the local chemist has been afraid to make up a prescription for him; that the blacksmith whom he used to employ has refused to work for him, and that the attendance of his family at church was interfered with as stated in the question. They report that it is also true that when a constable was burying his child in Tipperary graveyard, stones were thrown at the funeral party, and that a midwife refused to attend a constable's wife.
§ MR. J. O'CONNOR) (Tipperary, S.Arising out of the question, may I ask whether Phillips was not received at Connor's Hotel, Cashel, and supplied with every necessary; and whether, if the funeral of the girl was interfered with, and stones thrown at the police, any parson has been summoned in consequence; if so, what sentences have been awarded, and if there was not a midwife who had always attended the constable's wife?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI am afraid that I am unable to answer the question of the hon. Member.
§ MR. J. O'CONNORThe right hon. Gentleman says that the chemist refused to make up a prescription. Was he afraid to do so, or did he decline?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI have only given the Report as I received it.