HC Deb 26 May 1892 vol 4 cc1907-9
MR. SEXTON (Belfast, W.)

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland what has been ascertained, and what the Government have done or directed to be done, with reference to the attack on the boy Loughran, at the Queen's Island Works, Belfast, detailed in his statement reported in the Belfast Irish News of Monday last?

MR. JACKSON

I have made very careful inquiry into the matter of this question, and the simple facts are these. On Thursday night the boy Loughran, a boy Elliott, and some other boys were going home, and the boy Loughran, apparently, complained that Elliott had trodden on his foot. He then struck Elliott on the face; Elliott retorted and struck Loughran on the face; they had a fight, and Elliott got rather the worst of it. On the following morning during the breakfast hour Elliott went to Loughran and asked him what he meant by the action he had taken the night before, and proceeded at once to knock Loughran down. A ring was formed while the boys fought, and the two boys fought it out. Loughran got the worst of it. These are the material facts of the case. I do not think any importance attached to it beyond an ordinary fight between two boys of about fourteen years of age.

MR. SEXTON

Is it the fact, as stated by Loughran, that some six weeks ago, long before this occurred, when he first went to the yard, he was threatened that if he dared to comeback to the yard after the holidays he would lose his life?

MR. JACKSON

I am told that there is no truth whatever in that statement.

MR. SEXTON

Is it the fact—("Order!" and "Oh!")—I can quite understand these cries after the speech of the Marquess of Salisbury—that Loughran on Friday and Saturday last gave to three members of the Belfast police force the names of his assailant Elliott and of several men, who according to Loughran also assaulted him; and have the police taken any steps to obtain information on oath?

MR. JACKSON

I do not know anything about the police taking steps to obtain information on oath; I should say not. But I have taken every pains to inform myself, and have obtained reports from three distinct quarters which state the facts, and I have given the simple upshot of these reports to the House. The statement made by Loughran as to his having been assaulted by others than the boy Elliott, I believe, judging from the reports I have received, to be absolutely untrue. It is stated by several persons who were witnesses of what took place that nobody attacked Loughran except the boy Elliott, and both boys are between fourteen and fifteen years of age. I believe some Members of the House can remember the time when probably about that age they had a similar experience themselves, and when the result, as in this case, did not always come out on the one side. But I can assure the House that, as far as I can form a judgment from the reports, which I shall be happy to show to the hon. Member if he desires it, there is absolutely no importance to be attached to this beyond an ordinary boys' fight, which took place on two occasions. In one case the result was on the one side; in the other case it was on the other.

MR. SEXTON

I would ask the right hon. Gentleman—("Order!")—well, you will have it for the evening unless I am allowed to proceed—whether, if it is the fact, having regard to the circumstances of the second section of the Crimes Act in Ireland, that this poor boy has not only been beaten, but deprived of his means of living by being driven away from the yard by threats of violence, and by intimidation, the right hon. Gentleman will leave this question to be determined by Magistrates, or will the right hon. Gentleman constitute himself a Court of Law; and whether, if information on oath is laid, the ordinary course of the law will be followed?

MR. JACKSON

If any information on oath is laid, of course it will, I presume, be the duty of somebody to take action upon it; but I doubt very much whether such a result will arise out of the circumstances. So far from there being any truth in the statement that the boy has been driven out of the works, it appears from the reports supplied to me that the foreman told the boy to go back to his work, and that he would take care—

MR. SEXTON

He was afraid to go back.

MR. JACKSON

Of course, he cannot compel the boy to go back to his work; but I do not think I can add anything to what I have said.

MR. SEXTON

Do I go too far—("Order!")—one Gentleman on the other side is trying to distinguish him self in a very extraordinary manner. Do I go too far in asking for an assurance that if an information is laid on oath—the boy having told the police that he has been deprived of his living by intimidation—the ordinary course of the law will be followed, and that the decision in the matter will be left to the Courts, and not to the right hon. Gentleman?

MR. JACKSON

Unquestionably the ordinary course of the law will be followed.