§ MR. MACVEAGHI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether Captain Walsh, R.M., reported to the Inspector-General, or any of his superiors, the undertaking admitted by him in evidence, at Moneymore Petty Sessions, county Derry, to have been made with four local Orangemen, that certain contingents of Nationalists attending a Nationalist demonstration at Loop, county Derry, should not be allowed to pass through Moneymore; and, if so, whether such undertaking was sanctioned; whether in the four days between this compact and the demonstration, these contingents were informed of this decision; and, if so, by whom; and whether, seeing that some members of these contingents who had to pass through Moneymore to reach their homes received injuries from a baton charge, that Nationalist processions have repeatedly passed through Moneymore without disturbance, and that Captain Creaghe, R.M., in giving judgment, said that, until the interference of the police, the procession was orderly, he will say what action the Government proposes to take.
§ MR. WALTER LONGAs a necessary precaution to preserve peace and order, it was decided, with the sanction of the Government, that no Nationalist procession should be allowed to pass through Moneymore on this occasion save those on whose direct route it lay to and from the meeting. Moneymore is mainly inhabited by persons of the opposite Party, and the passage of Nationalist processions through it has frequently been accompanied by the breaking of windows and other disturbances. Captain Welch did not report the undertaking referred to in the first part of the Question, because such an undertaking was not given; but he informed four representatives of the local Orange lodge of the decision which had been arrived at. The Nationalist contingents from Lissan and Moneymore passed through the village without hindrance on their way to the meeting. Later in the day the police learnt that a party from Loop were accompanying the Lissan and Moneymore party towards Moneymore, though it was three miles out of their direct road home, and warning was at once sent to them that the Loop party would not be allowed to pass through Moneymore. The warning was disregarded. The police blocked the way and repeated the warning, but they were rushed and attacked by the entire procession. A baton charge was ordered, but not until injuries had been inflicted on the district inspector and others of the police. Some of the Lissan party, who were the first to attack the police, were hurt. Mr. Creaghe, in giving judgment, said that the Lissan and Moneymore procession was orderly until joined by the Loop party, when the three parties seemed to have turned into a very riotous, improper assembly. The steps taken by the Government were absolutely necessary for the preservation of the public peace. The Government do not propose to take any further action.
§ MR. MACVEAGHDid not Mr. Walsh in his evidence state that he did give this undertaking?
§ MR. WALTER LONGI am informed he did not.
§ MR. MACVEAGHHe swore he did. Really the right hon. Gentleman should 980 make sure of his facts before answering, a Question.