§ MR. LABOUCHERE (Northampton)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been called to a letter addressed by the head constable of Liverpool to the licensees of the Albert Hall to the effect that if they allowed their hall to be used for a meeting under the auspices of the Celtic Literary Society on Monday last, they would incur serious responsibility, and advising them to cancel the letting, of the hall for that purpose; and whether there was any illegality in the proposed meeting.
§ MR. T. M. HEALYI beg also to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will state on what grounds and under what authority the police broke up the Irish meeting at Liverpool held in reference to the Boer war.
§ * MR. RITCHIEThe answer is that the police took action in order to prevent serious disturbance, and that the steps, which were taken appear to have been absolutely necessary and entirely justifiable.
§ MR. T. M. HEALYWhy was a portion of the meeting allowed to proceed? Why was a reverend clergyman allowed to speak, whereas, when a lady rose to do so, the police interfered?
§ * MR. RITCHIEI am not aware of that. The police considered that if the meeting were allowed to go on there might be serious disturbances, and I think they acted quite properly.