§ Mr. CHARLES CRAIGI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether his attention has been drawn to a speech of Mr. James Fagan, a leading local Nationalist, delivered at Carrick-on-Shannon, in which he said that unless his hearers were prepared to boycott the holders of grass farms there was no use passing resolutions, and that they had the sympathy of the English Government on their side, and ended by stating that he knew that the Chief Secretary was heart and soul with them in the movement to get rid of the graziers; arid whether he will take stops, either by steps in this House, or by protecting graziers, or by prohibiting the Estates Commissioners from selling boycotted estates to the tenants, to remove this widely prevalent idea.
§ Mr. BIRRELLI am informed that Mr. Fagan is reported by a local newspaper to have used language to the effect stated in the Question, but the police have no evidence that such language was used. As regards the latter part of the Question, it will be sufficient to say that prosecutions have been instituted in all cases in which there was sufficient evidence, and a number of prosecutions are are now pending. I have repeatedly 691 stated that full protection is being afforded to graziers in the exercise of their legal rights. The position of the Estates Commissioners in the matter is stated in my reply to a previous Question to which I have already called the hon. Member's notice.
§ Mr. CHARLES CRAIGasked when the state of affairs would be arrived at which would be of sufficient seriousness to justify the right hon. Gentleman in rescinding the order with reference to the Estates Commissioners.
§ Mr. BIRRELLI must undertake the responsibility of that matter myself.
§ Mr. CHARLES CRAIGI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether his attention has been called to a statement made from the Bench by a justice of the peace at Athenry, in a case in which certain persons were charged with intimidation and violence with regard to grazing farms, in which he said that the Chief Secretary for Ireland had told them to agitate for the grass lands, and asked if he was expected to condemn men for what the Chief Secretary had told them to do; and what steps he proposes to take with reference to this magistrate.
§ Mr. BIRRELLI have nothing to add to the reply which I gave to the similar Question put by the noble Lord the Member for the Chorley Division on Thursday last.†