§ MR. SLOAN (Belfast, S.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if he can state on what date did the Reverend Mr. Gleeson, P.P., of Roundstone, complain verbally to the district inspector and head constable regarding the conduct of Sergeant Ryan and Constable Laidley; on what date did he make his written complaint to Sir Antony Mac Donnell; whether he can state the nature of the charges made in both cases; were the policemen supplied with copies of these complaints; were there any unfavourable marks entered against Sergeant Ryan and Constable Laidley, transferred as a result of these charges.
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY FOR IRELAND (Mr. WYNDHAM,) DoverNo verbal complaint was made to the district inspector or head constable. On the 17th August, 1903, the Rev. Mr. Gleeson wrote to the Under-Secretary complaining of the conduct of Sergeant Ryan and Constable Laidley n respect of a display of flags from licensed premises at Roundstone, viz.: that the sergeant and constable had notified the proprietors of licensed houses that it was against the law to have their houses decorated. On the 18th August, the Under-Secretary forwarded Father Gleeson's letter to the Inspector-General for report. The Inspector-General sent the letter on to the local police officers. On the 21st August the district inspector reported. that all publicans denied having been spoken to except one (Mr. Tuchy) He added that 273 he did not think the action of the police prudent. On the 23rd August, the county inspector reported that the police had acted very improperly. On the 2nd September the Inspector-General concurred, and recommended that the sergeant should be warned and that Constable Laidley should be transferred in pursuance of a report made against him in respect of another matter by the county inspector on the 15th August, that is two days before the Reverend Mr. Gleeson complained. The complaint and decision were communicated to the men on 17th September. They represented that they had not been previously informed of the nature of the complaint. This was a regrettable omission on the part of the local police officers. The whole matter is an exceed ingly small one, being confined to whether the police acted prudently in discussing with a publican the legality of putting out flags, and whether they acted properly in doing so without reporting the matter and asking for instructions. No unfavourable records were entered against the men. Sergeant Ryan was not transferred. Constable Laidley was moved to another district, but, as I have said, not in connection with this incident.