HC Deb 04 April 1892 vol 3 cc559-60
MR. MACARTNEY (Antrim, S.)

I beg, Sir, to postpone my question.

MR. MACNEILL

Why? [Cries of "Put the Question!"]

MR. MACARTNEY

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland if he will state the number of persons now in prison in Ireland for offences under "The Criminal Law and Procedure (Ireland) Act, 1887," and also the number of persons in Ireland who are at the present time wholly or partially boycotted?

MR. JACKSON

On the 1st inst there were five persons in custody under the Criminal Law and Procedure (Ireland) Act, 1887. They were convicted of riot and unlawful assembly. There are no persons either wholly or partially boycotted in Ireland at the present time.

MR. SEXTON

I beg to ask, Sir, if the administration of the Act has been going on, if it has been left inoperative because it was proved to be useless for its main purpose—that of securing tenants for evicted farms?

MR. MADDEN

No, Sir.

MR. W. O'BRIEN (Cork Co., N.E.)

Will the right hon. Gentleman name any single struggle with reference to which prosecutions were instituted under this Act which are not at present going on just as before, or have not notoriously concluded as victories for the tenants?

MR. MADDEN

I cannot argue the matter by way of answers to questions across the floor of the House. But in reply to the question of the hon. Member for Belfast as to whether this represents the usefulness or the uselessness of this Bill, I say unhesitatingly that it represents its usefulness.

MR. MACNEILL

I should like to ask, Sir, if these figures have been specially prepared with a view to the General Election?

[No answer was given.]