§ MR. ARTHUR J. MOORE (Londonderry)I beg to ask Mr. Attorney General for Ireland if he will state how much is raised by local taxation for ordinary Royal Irish Constabulary services in the city of Deny, and how much in the cities of Cork, Limerick, and Waterford respectively. Is there now, or has there been since 1885, any law compelling the Irish Government to treat Londonderry differently from those cities; and when will the next triennial redistribution order be under consideration, and will the Corporation of Deny be allowed an opportunity of bringing their grievance under the notice of the Lord Lieutenant before such redistribution.
§ MR. G. W. BALFOURThe amount raised by local taxation for the services of the police force of ninety men stationed in the city of Londonderry is about £1,150 per annum. This force consists, at present, of a free quota of sixty-two men and an extra force of twenty-eight men. In the other cities mentioned in the first paragraph, no moneys are raised by local taxation in respect of the services of the constabulary employed. The circumstance that Parliament by special legislation in 1870 provided an extra force of police for Londonderry, while such could only be appointed to the other cities referred to cither on the application of the local authorities or by reason of disturbances, places Londonderry in a different category from those cities, and cannot be ignored by the Irish Government. The triennial redistribution of the free force is now under consideration by Government, and I may say it will probably result in some alleviation of the charge upon the ratepayers in respect of the police stationed in Londonderry. It is, of course, open to the Corporation to place before the Lord Lieutenant any representations in the matter which they may desire to have considered.