§ MR. LONSDALE (Armagh, Mid.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether, in view of the fact that, during the periods when the Criminal Law and Procedure (Ireland) Act of 1887 was in operation, effective relief was afforded to boycotted families in Ireland by the institution of proceedings against persons participating in acts of boycotting, and the consequent restoration of public confidence in the supremacy of the law, and having regard to the increase in the number of persons affected by boycotting since the beginning of 1906, he will consider the expediency of adopting the exceptional measures of relief which proved so beneficial in former periods.
§ MR. BIRRELLI do not propose to enter upon a discussion of the highly debatable point made by the hon. Member in the first part of the Question. The Government have no present intention of adopting the exceptional procedure of the Criminal Law and Procedure Act, but will continue to take all possible measures within the ordinary law for the prevention and punishment of offences.
§ MR. CHARLES CRAIGasked if under the operation of the Act the number of cases was not reduced from over 4,000 to—
§ *MR. SPEAKEROrder, order. Notice must be given. The right hon. Gentleman cannot carry the figures in his head.
§ MR. WILLIAM REDMOND (Clare, E.)The hon. Member knows his figures are wrong.