§ MR. MACVEAGH (Down, S.)To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he can state on what grounds a contingent of Lissan Nationalists, returning on 17th March from a political meeting at Loop, county Kerry, were sought to be forcibly prevented from proceeding by the same route which they had traversed in the morning; whether, seeing that Money-more or district were not proclaimed, what official had power to disperse an orderly procession; whether he can state who gave the order to the police to use their batons; whether he is aware that after the baton charge the contingent was allowed to proceed by the original route; that prosecutions have since been instituted against the people who had been thus attacked; and whether inquiries will be made as to the cause of the discontent amongst the Catholic population of the district with regard to the character of the local police sergeant.
(Answered by Mr. Walter Long.) The proceedings on this occasion are the subject of a pending prosecution, and until the case is decided I must decline to discuss the matter.