§ MR. LEA (Londonderry, S.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether his attention has been directed to a letter from the Waterford County Inspector, R.I.C., to the Mayor of Waterford, calling his attention to the scenes enacted in the streets of that city on Sunday evenings at the time of closing the public-houses; and whether he will have inquiries made as to the state of the other four cities which are exempted from the operations of the Irish Sunday Closing Act, and, if necessary, have special instructions issued to the Chiefs of Police and to the Chief Magistrates of those cities?
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY FOR IRELAND (Mr. JACKSON,) Leeds, N.The hon. Member has been good enough to send me a newspaper copy of the letter referred to in the question. The Constabulary Authorities report that the County inspector thought it advisable to bring the matter referred to before the magistrates, in order that they might by inflicting heavy penalties co-operate with the police in putting an end to the scenes complained of. No similar complaints in regard to the other exempted cities have come under the notice of the Constabulary Authorities.