§ MR. DILLONI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether his attention has been directed to the report in "The Times" of 28th February of the disgraceful scenes in St. Clement's Church, Belfast, and the attack on the house of the Rev. Mr. Peoples; and on what grounds such proceedings in Belfast are treated more leniently by the executive than similar proceedings in the South of Ireland?
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURIt is a fact, as stated in "The Times" of Tuesday, that disorderly scenes took place in the church mentioned on Sunday last. The police supplied Mr. Peoples with the name and address of a boy who was stated to have participated in the disturbance, and escorted the reverend gentleman to his lodgings. No attempt was made to assault him. At the afternoon service the disorderly proceedings were renewed, and at the request of Mr. Peoples the police cleared the church. I am informed that a stone was thrown at Mr. Peoples' house on Sunday last, and a 1053 pane of glass broken. The honourable Member is quite in error in assuming, as he appears to do in the second paragraph, that such proceedings are treated differently in Belfast from the South of Ireland.
§ MR. DILLONI wish to ask whether the police had instituted or meant to institute prosecutions in connection with these riotous demonstrations, as would have been the case if they had occurred on the South of Ireland.
§ [No Reply.]
§ MR. DILLONI think I am entitled to an answer.
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURNo prosecutions have been instituted by the police.