§ MR. GRIFFITH-BOSCAWEN (Kent, Tunbridge)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is now aware that a different system of protecting County Court Bailiffs engaged in the collection of tithe rent-charge prevails in Cardiganshire than that adopted in the neighbouring Counties of Pembroke and Carmarthen; whether be is aware that tithe has been collected without difficulty in the two latter counties since the passing of the Tithe Act, but that the collection has been attended with scenes of disorder and violence in Cardiganshire, in the course of which Robert Lewis, the County Court Bailiff, has been repeatedly assaulted, and the execution of the orders rendered impossible; and whether he will take steps to compel the Local Authorities of Cardiganshire to afford adequate police protection to public officials engaged in carrying out the law?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. ASQUITH,) Fife, E.With regard to the first paragraph, I am not aware that a different system of protecting County Court Bailiffs engaged in the collection of tithe rent-charge prevails in Cardiganshire from that adopted in the neighbouring Counties of Pembroke and Carmarthen. With regard to the first part of paragraph 2, I have made inquiries rrom the Chief Constables of the two counties in question. The Chief Constable of Carmarthenshire informs me that at first the tithes were collected not without difficulty; but latterly they have had little or no trouble. The Chief Constable of Pembrokeshire informs me that the system he has adopted is one of moral suasion, 509 and, with two exceptions, no secrecy has been resorted to. The reduced number of police engaged at recent distraints and sales, the almost total absence of assaults on bailiffs, and none whatever on the police, show, in his opinion, that the scheme gives general satisfaction. With regard to the last part of paragraph 2 and to the third paragraph, I have nothing to add to the answer which I gave to this question on Thursday last.
§ MR. GRIFFITH-BOSCAWENMay I inquire whether since last July Lewis has been assaulted on three occasions when he has attempted to collect tithes; whether he was nearly murdered on the 5th May, and has been ill ever since; and whether, in the circumstances, the protection of four men is an adequate protection for the bailiff?
§ MR. ASQUITHMy information does not in the least accord with the statements of the hon. Gentleman.