MR. O'KELLT (Roscommon, N.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that the Royal Irish Constabulary have been visiting the house of a poor widow woman, Mrs. Gar a, of Lisalinska, County Roscommon, night after night, and alarming the family, for the alleged purpose of looking for her son, a boy of 13 years, and that the police threatened to arrest a younger child only 10 years of age; and whether he will inquire into the circumstances of this case?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURThe Constabulary authorities report that warrants having been placed in their hands, they proceeded to arrest Patrick Gara. They made three efforts to effect his arrest, but on each occasion Gara absconded. The reason they made arrests at night was because they believed those whom they sought to apprehend would abscond. The police deny that they threatened to arrest a younger child.
§ MR. O'KELLYWhat is the age of the boy arrested?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURThe officers do not answer that question.
§ MR. O'KELLYHe is 13.
§ MR. T. M. HEALYWill the right hon. Gentleman call the attention of the Executive to the fact that when the Crimes Act was passed the then Attorney General (now Justice Holmes) promised that these inquiries should not be conducted after 6?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURIf a person evades arrest of course he or she must be taken into custody whenever opportunity offers.
§ MR. O'KELLYWas the arrest made merely for the purposes of a fishing inquiry? Why was the boy arrested?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURThe boy was taken because he would not accompany the police without being arrested.