§ MR. BARTON (Armagh, Mid)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that on the 27th ultimo a party of children belonging to the three Presbyterian congregations of Armagh, when returning to Armagh with their ministers and friends from a country excursion, were attacked by a Nationalist crowd, and driven back in the direction of the railway station, with their mothers and other female relatives, by blows and stones proceeding from the crowd; and that a riotous disturbance ensued in the course of which the children were escorted to their homes by a number of Protestants who formed a cordon on each side of the street so that the children might pass without injury from their assailants; whether the police have identified any persons concerned in the attack; and whether any steps are being taken to enforce the law against such persons?
MR. J. MORLEYThe police have supplied me with very full Reports of what transpired on the occasion to which the question of the hon. and learned Member refers. Proceedings have been directed against a number of persons who were concerned in the occurrence, and until these cases have been disposed of I do not consider it desirable or proper to com- 569 municate to the House the substance of the police Reports, notwithstanding that they directly traverse some of the statements in the question. I may add that the occurrence has formed the subject of highly-coloured and exaggerated reports in the Press.
§ MR. ROSSasked, whether any arrests had been made, and in future would the right hon. Gentleman give directions to the Inspectors that on the occasion of attacks upon women and children the police should endeavour to arrest the parties in the act?
MR. J. MORLEYI cannot give directions of that kind, or ask the Inspectors to given any. The police of Ireland in cases of the sort have their rules, which were found satisfactory five or ten years ago, and I do not know why they should be less so now.