§ MR. MACARTNEYI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that persistent attempts are being made to interfere with the sale in Drogheda of farm produce from certain farms on the Massercene estate; whether his attention has been called to a resolution passed 1440 by the Drogheda Branch of the Irish National Federation on Tuesday, January 2, declaring the presence of the tenants of these farms in the fairs and markets to be an intolerable public nuisance, and calling upon the Committee of the branch to take steps to put an end to the evil; and whether any steps are being taken to enable the tenants of these farms to make free use of the fairs and markets in their neighbourhood?
MR. J. MORLEYI am aware that attempts have been made in the direction referred to in the question, though it does not appear from the Reports which have been received by mo that these attempts have yet been successful. The resolution mentioned in the question, which was passed at an indoor meeting, has been brought under my notice, and I am advised that there is not sufficient legal evidence forthcoming to identify the parties with the resolution. The police have taken every step possible to watch the movements of persons suspected as likely to be engaged in these proceedings, and they will continue to do what is necessary to prevent illegal action and to protect the tenants in the exercise of their legal rights.