§ MR. T. M. HEALY (Louth, N.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland (1) if he will state whether, of the eight Head Constables who were nominated to compete on the 30th June for two vacancies in the rank of district inspector, one is 968 Head Constable Roe, of Queenstown, who was cast in damages by the County Court Judge of Kerry, and was also severely censured by Mr. Justice Gibson at the last Cork Summer Assizes in connection with a charge of abduction for proselytizing purposes; (2) is another of the nominees Head Constable Marks, clerk to the commandant, who has never been in charge of a station or a party; (3) how are Head Constables selected for these examinations; and (4) is he aware that the recent nominations have caused great dissatisfaction in the force?
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURThere are seven, not eight, Head Constables now undergoing examination for the rank of District Inspector, two of the competitors being Head Constables Roe and Marks. In the case in which damages were awarded against Head Constable Roe, the Treasury sanctioned his being repaid the sum awarded (£5), on the ground that he had acted in a bonâ-fide manner and in the interests of the public, though he had made a mistake upon a point of law. The circumstances of the other case concerning this Head Constable were referred to by me in answer to the Question of the hon. and learned Gentleman of the 31st July 1896. In consequence of his action in that case he was deprived of the opportunity of competing at a similar examination for promotion held last year. It is considered that he was sufficiently punished by this deprivation, and that his advancement should not be further retarded. As regards Head Constable Marks, it is true he has not yet been in charge of a station, but his practical knowledge of such duties will in due course be tested. The selections are made in strict accordance with the regulations laid down by the Lord Lieutenant; a copy of which I will forward to the hon. Gentleman if he so desires. I have no information to the effect mentioned in the last paragraph.
§ MR. T. M. HEALYHas the right hon. Gentleman any information that enables him to say whether the majority of those persons are Protestants or Catholics?
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURI have no information on the point whatever.
§ MR. T. M. HEALYI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland (1) if his attention 969 has been called to the fact that a verdict of £35 was returned against District Inspector Langhorne, Castlecomer, for falsely imprisoning a mason named Williams, who was doing work in his house, and against whom he brought an unfounded prosecution, which was quashed at quarter sessions; (2) whether the District Inspector has paid the damages without taking an appeal from the verdict; and (3) have the Government taken any notice of the matter?
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURThe facts are as stated in the first and second paragraphs. The action of Mr. Langhorne under the circumstances referred to has been investigated by the Inspector General of Constabulary, who has taken such notice of his conduct on the occasion as appeared to him to be proper.
§ MR. T. M. HEALYIs Inspector Langhorne to be allowed to remain in a district where he has been proved to have brought an unfounded charge against a poor man?
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURI have told the hon. and learned Member what the Inspector General says. It is considered that the man has been rather severely mulcted in damages, and he has been ordered to be reprimanded, but beyond that nothing has been done.