§ MR. THOMAS F. SMYTH (Leitrim, S.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if he is aware that on Monday, 13th April, 1908, a number of shots were fired on the 87 public road at Newtowngore, county Leitrim, by a party of Orangemen, who were after working on an evicted farm at Tully, near Newtowngore, from which a man named Masterton was evicted, and which is now in the possession of a shopkeeper named Lipsey, who lives in Newtowngore; whether, seeing that the shots were fired by those men to intimidate their Catholic and Nationalist neighbours, who are largely in the majority, proceedings will be instituted against the perpetrators; and will he say if the parties had licences to carry firearms, and, if so, will such licences be revoked, so that the preservation of the peace of the district may be maintained.
§ MR. BIRRELLOn the occasion in question a party of labourers who had worked on Mr. Lipsey's farm was returning home, when two or three shots are said to have been fired by one of the party. The police have carefully investigated the case but have been unable to procure evidence of the identity of the offender, and consequently no proceedings can be instituted. For the same reason it cannot be ascertained whether the offender holds an excise licence, which is the only licence now required to carry firearms.
§ MR. KILBRIDEWill the right hon. Gentleman send a copy of the Answer to Lord Ashtown?
§ MR. BIRRELLI have no doubt he will see it.