§ MR. FLYNNI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that the districts of Glashakinleen and Rockchapel, Kanturk rural district, county Cork, are compelled to pay a rate for extra police of 4¼d. in the£, though there has not been a single outrage, agrarian or otherwise, committed in either district for a considerable period: and whether, in view of the peaceable condition of the entire locality, the people will be relieved of the payment of the extra police tax.
I beg also to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether the constabulary authorities can explain why a police hut and a force of one sergeant and three constables have been established on the farm of Mr. Owen Daly, near Meelin, county Cork; are they aware that this farm was sold by order of the recorder of the East Riding and purchased by Mr. Daly at public auction, but that, owing to the money having been paid to the then registrar of the court, Mr. Tristam Curry, who has since absconded, Daly has not yet got full legal possession of the holding, to his great loss and inconvenience; and whether, in view of the fact that Mr. Daly is popular in the district, that this police protection is personally most distasteful to him, and has communicated with District Inspector O'Neill, asking him to instruct the policemen not to accompany him to fairs and markets, this police force will be transferred to other duty, and the district relieved of the payment of an extra rate of 8¾d. in the£.
§ MR. BIRRELLThe two districts named are assessed with a tax for extra police amounting to 7¼d. in the £. The extra force consists of three men of the reserve who are required for the constant protection of Mr. Owen Daly. It is the fact that no serious outrage has been committed in the locality during the past twelve months, but in the opinion of the police authorities, who are responsible for the preservation of the peace, it is absolutely necessary to afford constant protection to Mr. Daly. The police are stationed on his farm with his consent, and he has not applied for their withdrawal. In present circumstances it is not possible to relieve the locality from the charge for extra police.
§ MR. FLYNNIs the right hon. Gentlemen aware that Mr. Daly does everything possible to escape from his police escorts?
§ MR. BIRRELLIt is the fact, I am glad to say, that Mr. Daly himself is personally very popular in the district. He naturally dislikes being accompanied to the various markets by the police, as this interferes with him in the transaction of business: but nevertheless it is a fact that there are some few people in the locality who entertain feelings of strong disapprobation, and it is not the fact that Mr. Daly desires that the police protection should be withdrawn.
§ MR. MOORE (Armagh, N.)Are the people who threaten him members of the United Irish League?
§ MR. BIRRELLI know nothing about that.