§ CAPTAIN DONELANOn behalf of the hon. Member for North Cork, I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland (1) whether his attention has been called to a circular issued by the Chief Commissioner of the Dublin Metropolitan Police Force to the police stations of that city, on the 22nd of January last, in which the Chief Commissioner, after complimenting the officers and men for 1361 the cheerfulness with which they discharged their duty on the preceding day, went on to say that, although matters passed off well, he was confident officers and men were prepared to give a satisfactory account of themselves if it had been otherwise; if he can say on whose authority this circular was issued; and (2) whether its language was in accordance with the constabulary regulation.
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURThe terms of the circular are described with substantial accuracy in the first paragraph. It was issued by the Chief Commissioner on his own authority, and no regulations have been laid down prescribing the nature of the language of such communications. That is a matter for the judgment of the Chief Commissioner himself.