§ MR. SLOAN (Belfast, S.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that Constable Gilbride of the Royal Irish Constabulary and stationed at Ballymoney distributes to Protestant members of the force Roman Catholic emblems and literature, and that some time ago, on the sudden death of Head Constable Moffat, Gilbride broke open his private box and extracted Roman Catholic literature which was addressed to the head constable from a sergeant in county Tyrone; and will he state what action, if any, he intends to take to prevent interference with the religious opinions of policemen.
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY FOR IRELAND (Mr. WYNDHAM,) DoverAbou three years ago the constable entered into correspondence on religious matters with the head constable, who was not a Roman Catholic. On the death of the 397 latter the constable removed the correspondence from his own private box and destroyed it. The Inspector-General expressed disapproval of his action at the time. There is no foundation otherwise for the statements in the Question.