§ MR. JOHN ROCHE (Galway, E.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether his attention has been called to the fact that a meeting of the planters on the Clanricarde estate had been summoned in February at Portumna Castle, by the agent, Edward Shaw Tener, who advised them to refuse compensation and resist the operation of the Land Bill of 1903 by every means in their power; and what steps, if any, he proposes to take to prevent the landlord or his agent from inciting tenants to resist the operation of the Law.
§ MR. BIRRELLThe Estates Commissioners inform me that they have no information as to the meeting in question, and I have none.
§ Mr. DILLON (Mayo, E.)In view of the extremely serious condition of this district, will the right hon. Gentleman endeavour to get the information from the police?
§ MR. BIRRELLWe are rather shy of drawing the police into these matters. We do not wish to introduce them more than we can help into quarrels of this kind, but I am fully alive to the importance of seeing what is done on this estate, and I will do my best to find out.