HC Deb 12 September 1893 vol 17 cc954-6
MR. SEXTON (Kerry, N.)

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he can give any particulars of the origin and extent of disturbances in Belfast and some other places in the North of Ireland on Saturday and Sunday last?

THE CHIEF SECRETARY FOR IRELAND (Mr. J. MORLEY,) Newcastle-upon-Tyne

As to the Origin of these disturbances, such as they were, there can be no doubt that their immediate cause was the rejoicing of the Unionist Party on learning the result of the Division on Friday night in another place. The outcome of the different demonstrations has not been very important. No serious personal injury appears to have been sustained, and injury to property has been confined in the main to the breaking of a few panes of glass. In Belfast, if my hon. Friend wishes further and better particulars, large crowds assembled at the newspaper offices on Friday night, and when the result of the Division was announced they dispersed quietly. Some Nationalists tried to get through a police cordon, and being refused stoned the police. One pane of glass was broken in a Catholic public-house, some trivial assaults took place, and I have just received a telegram to the effect that two persons have this day been sentenced to one month's imprisonment each for assaults, and that proceedings are pending against others. At Lurgan a number of windows were broken, the damage being estimated at about £5. It is believed by both parties that these injuries were committed by bands of young lads. It is reported this morning that two houses in Lurgan were fired into on the 10th instant, and that shots were fired at another house, but, striking a wall, they did not penetrate to the interior. At Londonderry a large number of people assembled, but there was no disturbance. A couple of panes of glass were broken in the house of a Nationalist, and also in the Protestant Sunday School. At Coleraine windows were broken in the Catholic Church, and in six private houses, including the house of the hon. Member for South Fermanagh. Stones were also thrown at the police. There were demonstrations, but no disturbances, at Dungannon and Cooks-town. At Omagh and some other places slight disturbances occurred. Windows were broken in some 17 houses in Magherafelt, but no one was injured. That, I think, is all that will interest my hon. Friend and that is worth stating. [Laughter]

MR. SEXTON

It is not exactly a laughing matter. I wish to ask the right hon. Gentleman whether he has heard of a violent attack made upon a trade procession at Belfast on Saturday, and of serious injury inflicted upon the members of one of the bands; whether the hon. Member for Battersea (Mr. J. Burns), who was one of the speakers at a labour meeting in the city, was threatened with violence, and was pursued from the place of meeting by a disorderly crowd; and whether in any part of the 28 counties in which the Nationalists have a majority of the population there were any disturbances in consequence of a political event at which they had more reason to feel resentment than the Unionist Party?

MR. J. MORLEY

I am glad to be able to say, so far as I have heard—and I have Reports from most parts of Ireland—there was no attempt whatever on the part of Nationalists to indicate their vexation, if they felt vexation, at the political event that happened. As to the attack upon the trade procession at Belfast on Saturday, I understand the stones were thrown at two of the Nationalist bands, but I have not heard of anything that happened to the hon. Member for Battersea.

MR. MACARTNEY (Antrim, S.)

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether he has reason to believe that vexation is felt anywhere in Ireland at the political event referred to?

MR. SEXTON

You will find that out.