CAPTAIN CRAIGTo ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of 812 Ireland whether he is aware that, following up the recent prosecutions at Hillstreet, county Roscommon, for unlawful assembly and intimidation, for which eight Nationalists have been imprisoned, the magistrates who constituted the tribunal on that occasion are now subject to the most rigorous boycott; whether ho is aware that all the servants of Mr. G. Kelly, B.L., who was chairman, have loft his employment, Mr. H. Hamilton is subject to similar boycott, and Mr. R. N. Ffrench, who did not attend the court, is similarly treated, all his servants having left him; and whether, seeing that the Kilmore district is in a very disturbed state, ho will say what precautions, if any, the Government are taking to preserve law and order.
§ MR. COURTHOPE (Sussex, Rye)To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he has received information to the effect that certain magistrates who attended the court at Hillstreet, county Roscommon, when there was a trial for unlawful assembly and intimidation, have been boycotted; under which class of boycott are these justices of the peace suffering, and what steps does he propose to take against the offenders.
(Answered by Mr. Birrell.) I will at the same time answer the Question of the hon. Member for the Rye Division. The police authorities inform mo that one of Mr. Kelly's indoor servants has left his employment and that several labourers have refused to work for him. One labourer has also left Mr. Hamilton's employment, but neither in his case nor in that of Mr. French, have the domestic servants left, as stated in the Question. One of these magistrates has been refused supplies in a local shop, but no other act of boycotting has occurred. Extra police are stationed in the districts in which these gentlemen reside, and every possible measure is being taken to preserve the peace and to protect the magistrates from loss and annoyance.