§ MR. SEXTONOn behalf of the hon. Member for East Galway, I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that Judge Andrews, when addressing the Grand Jury for the County of Galway, said the bills to go before them were only four of an unimportant character, and that, by the County Inspector's Report, there was no increase in the reported cases for this compared with the corresponding period last year, still there were men under police protection in the eastern division of the county, that most of those were on the Clanricarde Estate, and those under partial police protection were also on the same estate, and were it not for those cases there would be very little to complain of; whether he will state what is the annual cost for police protection on the Clanricarde Estate; and what were Mr. Tener's, agent to Lord Clanricarde, qualifications to be a member of the Grand Jury addressed by Judge Andrews?
MR. J. MORLEYThe statements in the first paragraph of the question are substantially correct. In regard, however, to the matter of special police protection in the East Riding of the county, the Judge observed that about one-half of the number of persons receiving such protection were on the Clanricarde Estate. The Judge's remarks were as follows:—
There are 15 persons in the East Hiding under constant police protection; nine of these are on the Clanricarde Estate. There are 27 other persons afforded police protection, of whom It are on the Clanricarde Estate, making 42 altogether, involving the necessity of employing no fewer than 92 members of the Constabulary.The cost of police protection on the Clanricarde Estate last year was £2,098. With regard to the last part of the question, I presume that Mr. Tener was summoned to represent the property over which he acts as agent. My hon. Friend knows that the Executive Government have no voice or control in the matter of choosing the members of the Grand Jury. The Sheriff is at liberty to choose whomsoever he likes, provided there is one representative from each barony.
§ MR. KNOXIs there any power under the Regulations of the Irish police to charge the expense for special police protection on the person protected in the same way as is done in England?
§ MR. SEXTONIs the charge of £2,098 a year on this one Irish estate a continuing annual charge on the Imperial Exchequer?
MR. J. MORLEYOf course, a moiety of this £2,098 for Police protection last year came out of sums voted by Parliament.
MR. T. M. HEALYWill Her Majesty's Government in their next Finance Rill consider the possibility of placing a special tax on the persons requiring protection?
MR. JAMES LOWTHER (Kent, Thanet)Will the Government also consider the expediency of putting a tax on those who cause the disturbance and expenditure?
§ MR. ROSSHaving regard to the threats uttered in this House during the past few days, will the Chief Secretary give an assurance that he will not relax this police protection?
MR. J. MORLEYI think, Sir, that the hon. and learned Member must know that that is a perfectly superfluous and idle question.
§ MR. ROSSI cannot agree that it is superfluous. May I ask whether the £2,098 represents the ordinary pay of these policemen engaged in special protection, or whether it is extra expenditure?
§ MR. ROSSWas it the ordinary pay of the police so engaged, or was it in addition to their ordinary pay?
MR. J. MORLEYI am not sure. I am informed that this special protection is an element of the charge.
§ [No answer was returned.]