§ MR. LONSDALE (Armagh, Mid)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he has information respecting a shooting outrage at the house of a farmer at Rathcanning, near Midleton, county Cork, on the 4th instant; and whether any arrests have been made in connection with the occurrence.
CAPTAIN CRAIGMay I also ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that the dwelling-house of a farmer named William Colbert, of Rathcanning, near Midleton, County Cork, was fired into on Tuesday, 5th May last; whether the police evidence goes to show that injury was intended to the sleeping inmates or whether the direction of the shot merely indicates an intention to intimidate; and what steps have been taken to bring the perpetrators to justice.
§ MR. BIRRELLThe house of William Colbert was fired into on the night of 4th May. The greater part of the charge, which consisted of small shot, struck the outside wall of the house near the window, and only three pellets of shot went through the window. The facts elicited by the police point to the conclusion that intimidation and not personal injury to the inmates was intended. No arrest has been made. The police are using all possible efforts to discover the offender.
§ CAPTAIN DONELAN (Cork, E.)Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the district in which this took place is a very quiet and peaceable district?
§ MR. BIRRELLI believe it bears that general character.
CAPTAIN CRAIGDoes not the definition of quiet and peacable depend on the political views of the man who uses the term?
§ [No Answer was returned.]