§ Mr. HARRINGTONasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he would state under what circumstances a summons recently issued at the suit of Sergeant Cox, of the Dublin Metropolitan Police, under the provisions of the Child Messenger Act, against Patrick Halligan, of Wentworth Lodge, Wentworth Place, was withdrawn; whether there was a full investigation of all the circumstances by the Commissioners of Police before the summons was issued; whether he was aware that Sergeant Cox, on the day the offence was alleged to have been committed, on three different occasions, within a period of four hours, visited Halligan's house, with the result that his wife, Julia Halligan, was taken seriously ill, and had to be attended by a doctor; whether those visits were necessary in order to investigate the circumstances of the case; if so, whether he would cause an inquiry to be made in order to ascertain if they were carried out in a reasonable way; and would he state whether Sergeant Cox had ever been reprimanded by any of his superior officers in connection with this or other matters, and, if so, how often?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Chief Commissioner of the Dublin Metropolitan Police informs me that this case was not withdrawn. It was reported to him in the usual way in January last, and he considered that it should be investigated by the magistrate. The latter, after hearing the facts, recorded his opinion that it was a proper case for the police to have brought forward. The sergeant paid no 472 unnecessary visits to Halligan's house, but had to call twice in connection with the case. Mrs. Halligan's illness was not brought to the notice of the police or referred to at the hearing of the case, and the police know nothing of it. No complaint has been made as to the sergeant's conduct, nor has he been reprimanded for any irregularity in his present rank.