§ MR. MACVEAGHI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he can now state the object of issuing periodical Parliamentary Returns regarding agrarian offences in Ireland; whether he is aware that no such Returns are issued either for urban offences in Ireland or for urban or agrarian offences in England, Scotland, or Wales; and whether, seeing that the particulars given in these Returns are otherwise available in the Civil and Judicial Statistics, the publication of the periodical Returns of agrarian offences will be discontinued.
§ MR. WALTER LONGI have already stated that these Returns are furnished for the information of Parliament, and that it is not proposed to discontinue them. The particulars given in the Returns are not distinguished in the Criminal and Judicial Statistics.
§ CAPTAIN DONELANIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the police in Ireland are always prepared to supply Crime to order?
§ MR. MACVEAGHThe right hon. Gentleman has not told me the object of publishing these Returns. He promised to inquire as to that. Is he aware no such Returns are given for England, Scotland, and Wales? Is the object political in issuing these invidious and offensive Returns?
§ MR. WALTER LONGThey are furnished for the information of Parliament. I have nothing to do with the other Departments.