§ MR. SLOAN (Belfast, S.)To ask Mr. Attorney-General for Ireland whether he is aware that, on the 9th ultimo, the refusal of Sergeant Booth of the C Division to investigate the theft of £5 belonging to a man called Hannah, was reported to the Commissioner of the Dublin Metropolitan Police in writing; whether, seeing Hannah occupies apartments in Sergeant Booth's house and that other thefts of money belonging to Hannah were traced by the sergeant to his son, he will state why the Commissioner has not replied to Hannah's complaint and no action has been taken in the matter.
(Answered by Mr. Atkinson.) Hannon, who was a lodger in the house of Sergeant Booth, received notice to quit on January 2nd. A few days subsequently he stated to the sergeant that a £5 note had been abstracted from a box belonging to his father, and demanded that the sergeant should investigate the alleged theft. The sergeant considered it would be indiscreet for him to take up the case, and requested Hannon to report the matter at the police station, with a view to its investigation independently by another officer. Hannon neglected to take this course, and took no further action until February 9th, when he made a written report to the Chief Commissioner. The police have not yet succeeded in tracing the missing note or in obtaining any information which would 909 corroborate Hannon's account of the reported loss. Hannon is aware that inquiry is being made, and he will be informed of the result in usual course when the inquiry has been completed. The Chief Commissioner is not aware of any foundation for the insinuation in the Question that the sergeant's son, who is a boy under ten years of age, has been guilty of any theft of money.