§ Mr. MACALEESE (Monaghan, N.)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) has there been brought under his notice the report of a case at Monaghan Petty Sessions, where two men, named Boylan and M'Quaide, were prosecuted and fined for an alleged breach of the bye-laws of the Great Northern Railway Company (Ireland), consisting of a simple effort to defend themselves against the violence of a man named Wheatfield, who behaved in a scandalous and immoral manner; (2) is he aware that it is stated in the report that Wheatfield used the most disgusting obscenities, behaving improperly with the women, and then assaulted Boylan and M'Quaide when they remonstrated with him, and although this was reported to the railway servants at Armagh, he was permitted to continue his journey; (3) has he observed that the presiding magistrate strongly censured the railway officials for permitting Wheatfield and the two women to remain in the carriage when complaint was made of their misconduct at Armagh; (4) will he explain why Wheatfield was not prosecuted, while the two men who were assaulted by him, and who merely defended themselves from his violence, were each convicted and fined; and (5) what steps does he propose to take in the matter?
§ MR. ATKINSONAt the request of my right honourable Friend I will reply to this Question. The facts are substantially as stated. With regard to the fourth paragraph, I understand that the stationmaster at Armagh did visit the 1230 carriage in which the parties were travelling, but that he saw nothing that would justify him in expelling them from the carriage. I am also informed that a summons was issued against Wheatfield, though, having left Ireland, it could not be served upon him. It devolves upon the railway company to take proceedings against Wheatfield, and the solicitor to the company states that every effort will be made by the company to bring him to justice. The police authorities will, of course, afford the railway company every assistance in their power in the matter.