§ MR. DILLONI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that on the 21st April last, while a private meeting of the Irish National Foresters, of Cookstown, was being held in their own hall, an attack was made on the hall, and the windows smashed, by an Orange drumming party; and will he explain why the police were not present while the attack on the hall was going on, why no arrests were made, and why no one has been prosecuted.
§ *THE CHIEF SECRETARY FOR IRELAND (MR. G. W. BALFOUR, Leeds, Central)I am aware of the occurrence referred to in the first paragraph. After the drumming party had marched through the streets it halted opposite the Foresters' Hall and continued drumming, at the same time hooting and yelling. When the drumming party had passed it was found that four panes of glass in the hall had been broken. The damage is estimated at ten shillings. A party of police was present on the occasion, but they saw no windows broken when the drumming party was passing, and did not become aware of the fact until afterwards. This is accounted for by the noise caused by the crowd, which was a large one. Every possible inquiry has been made with the 647 view of obtaining evidence against the persons concerned in the breaking of the windows, but so far without success.