§ MR. SLOAN (Belfast, S.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that, two children, named Flannigan, age five and six years respectively, were reported to the police as being missing from their home at Short Strand, Belfast, since April 24th last, and that the police informed the mother of these children that they had been placed in a home or industrial school by the Rev. Mr. Kerr, C.C., who has refused to give any information about the children; and will he cause inquiries to be made into the matter.
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY FOR IRELAND (Mr. WALTER LONG,) Bristol, S.The mother of these children has complained to the police that they have disappeared, and the Rev. Mr. Kerr has stated to the police that he knows where the children are, and that they are in safe custody. This is all the information the police have, and upon it they cannot take any action.
§ MR. SLOANIs there no redress for the mother, the children having been taken away against her will, and Mr. Kerr having refused to tell her where they are?
§ MR. WALTER LONGI am not, as the hon. Gentleman knows, a lawyer, but I believe that the civil law is open to her, by which she can obtain redress, but on the information the police have they can take no action on her behalf.
§ MR. SLOANIn view of the fact that the police have made inquiries as to where the children are, is there any reason why the mother should not be admitted to see them?
§ MR. WALTER LONGI think my hon. friend is not quite correct. I do not think the police know where the children Are, though the Rev. Mr. Kerr says that he knows where they are.
§ MR. WALTER LONGIt does not rest with the police to act. If the children were taken away improperly, the police have no power to take action.
§ SIR ERNEST FLOWER (Bradford, W.)Surely, having regard to the fact that the children were taken away without the mother's consent, the police can act without the authority of a justice of the peace?
§ MR. WALTER LONGI have given an Answer to my hon. friend containing all the information we have—namely, that these children have been removed, and that the Rev. Mr. Kerr has stated that he knows where they are. The police have no reason to believe that they are in an industrial school—
§ MR. WALTER LONGI do not say that. All I know is that the mother says she has lost her children, and that Mr. Kerr says that he knows where they are. The police cannot act unless they have legal power to act. They cannot compel Mr. Kerr to divulge his information. It is, I admit, a very extraordinary case.