§ MR. CHARLES CRAIG (Antrim, S.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether his attention has been called to the strong language and resolution used and adopted by the Westport, county Mayo, guardians, on the 17th May, towards the Reverend Mr. Hannay, rector of Westport, and workhouse Protestant chaplain, because of opinions expressed and characters and types portrayed in the novels of which the guardians allege that the reverend gentleman is author; whether, in view of the speech of one of the guardians advising that Mr. Hannay should be dragged through the streets of Westport and pitched into the river, the police will be directed to be watchful to prevent this suggestion from being carried out; and whether the Local Government Board intend, as demanded by the guardians, to dismiss the Reverend Mr. Hannay from the chaplaincy, on the charge of having written two very readable novels.
§ MR. T. M. HEALY (Louth, N.)Is it in order to use the notice paper of this House in order to describe novels as "very readable"? I have tried to read one of these novels and failed miserably.
MR. BRYCEI have seen, since this Question appeared, a newspaper account of the meeting referred to. Some rather pointed criticism appears to have been passed upon newspaper extracts from works of which the reverend gentleman is conjectured to be the author, but there does not appear to be reason to apprehend that any more direct form of disapproval will be manifested. It sometimes happens that critics do not themselves read the books on which they pass judgment, and I gather that this was the case in the present instance. The Local Government Board do not intend to dismiss the Reverend Mr. Hannay from the workhouse chaplaincy.
§ MR. T. M. HEALYWill the right hon. Gentleman answer that part of the question which says that these novels are "very readable," and say whether he has read them?
MR. BRYCEThe novels are not mentioned by name, and I do not know that I am entitled to assume what they are. But if one of them is the one I believe it to be, I am bound to say I found it very readable.