§ MR. LONSDALE (Armagh, Mid.)On behalf of the hon. Member for South Antrim, I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that the New Inn branch of the United Irish League in Galway addressed a demand to Mrs. Villiers, a lady resident in the neighbourhood, that she should dismiss certain of her servants, including a certain ex-policeman named M'Dermot; that on refusing to do so she was rigorously boycotted; and that as a consequence of this boycott the horse of a man named Riley, which had been lent to her, was smeared with tar and paint on the night of the 25th instant; and, seeing that she is unable to obtain help to work her farm, whether the time has come to put the Crimes Act in force to put an end to the lawlessness which exists in certain parts of the West of Ireland.
§ MR. CHERRYI am informed that the local police have no evidence to the effect slated in the first part of the Question. It is the fact that Mrs. Villiers has suffered some inconvenience, but she has not been rigorously boycotted as stated. She has been unable to procure extra labourers for the harvest; but her permanent employees have remained in her service, and she is not boycotted as regards supplies. It is the case that Mr. Riley's horse was daubed with paint on 25th July. As regards the concluding part of the Question, I have nothing to add to the Answer which my right hon. friend has repeatedly given to similar questions.
§ MR. T. L. CORBETT (Down, N.)What does the right hon. Gentleman mean by rigorously boycotted."
§ MR. CHERRYWell, she has not been refused supplies, and her servants have not left her.