§ MR. M. DAVITT (Mayo, S.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland (1) whether his attention has been directed to statements implying that the Rev. James Stephens, of Crossboyne, county Mayo, had frustrated the efforts of certain tenants to induce the Congested Districts Board to purchase certain holdings; (2) whether he is aware that the reverend gentleman in 1369 question endeavoured to do what he has been charged with preventing, and that a memorial purporting to be signed by such tenants is alleged to be a forgery; and (3) whether he will accede to Father Stephens' wish that the document should be placed in the hands of the local police authorities for investigation?
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURMy attention has been directed to the statements mentioned in the first paragraph. It is the fact that the Rev. Mr. Stephens urged the Congested Districts Board to purchase the lands in question for the purposes of division among the tenants, and it is untrue, so far as the Board are aware, that he endeavoured to prevent the purchase from being carried out by them. It is alleged that the signatures to the document, which purported to have been signed by the tenants, are not genuine, but I am not aware whether this is, or is not, the case. The Government do not feel themselves called upon to take any action such as suggested in the third paragraph.