§ MR. CHARLES CRAIGI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether in view of the number of landlords and tenants of grazing farms who have, by intimidation, boycotting, and other illegal means, been forced to give up possession of their farms so that they might be divided up amongst other tenants, he will consider the necessity of bringing into force again the rule which forbade the Estates Commissioners either buying or advancing the purchase money of any farm on any estate where intimidation or boycotting exists.
§ MR. BIRRELLI beg to refer to the Answer which I gave to a similar Question put by the hon. Member for the Oswestry Division.
§ MR. MOOREThe right hon. Gentleman stated there was not sufficient intimidation to constitute a real danger. Will he reconsider that?
§ MR. CHARLES CRAIGIs not the right hon. Gentleman perfectly well aware that as the 1st May, the date on which these eleven months agreements were entered into, approaches, there is an immense amount of extra intimidation and boycotting in the counties of Galway, Roscommon and Leitrim?
§ MR. BIRRELLI am aware that the time referred to is one of great anxiety to the police and special precautions have to be taken.
§ MR. CHARLES CRAIGIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that by the very simple method of procedure for enforcing the law, introduced by the right hon. Gentleman the Member for Dublin County, S., this boycotting and intimidation could be stopped in one day?
§ MR. SPEAKERThat is a matter of argument.
§ MR. CHARLES CRAIGBut that is really the Question over again.
§ MR. SPEAKERI did not say it was not. I said it was an argumentative question which is not in order.
§ MR. JOHN O'CONNOR (Kildare, N.)Have the prosecutions which have taken place been the result of Questions in this House?
§ MR. BIRRELLNo, Sir.