§ MR. T. J. HEALY (Wexford, N.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that at the Summer Assizes in the County of Wexford just concluded there was no criminal case for trial; that at the Spring Assizes of this year there was only one trifling case of theft for trial from the county; that at the last Winter Assizes there was no criminal case from the county; that at the Hilary and Easter Quarter Sessions in both divisions of the county the County Court Judge was presented with white gloves; and that notwithstanding this crimeless condition of the county the people of Wexford are 1013 this year called on to pay the large sum of £784 for extra police; and whether he will take immediate steps to relieve the people of the county from such a heavy tax by giving orders for the removal of the extra police?
MR. J. MORLEYMy attention has been drawn to the very gratifying facts referred to by my hon. Friend as to the general state of the County Wexford. The charge for extra police for the past year is correctly stated at £784, and has been solely necessitated by the peculiar circumstances which exist on one particular property in the county. The strength of the extra force, which numbered 25 men when the present Government acceded to Office, has been reduced to 15 men, its present strength, and the question of making a still further reduction is now under consideration.
§ MR. THOMAS HEALYIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the Lord Chief Baron stated on Saturday last that there was no person in the county under police protection?
MR. J. MORLEYHe may have made that statement, but it does not follow that extra police are not required.