§ Mr. JEREMIAH MacVEAGHasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether there, has been any renewal of disturbances in Portadown or Lurgan since Monday night; whether he can state the number of police constables struck by stones or otherwise injured during the entire disturbances; how many arrests were made and how many further arrests are contemplated; and in how many buildings were windows broken or other damage inflicted. Also, whether he has now satisfied himself that there is no foundation for the allegation that a bottle was thrown from the hotel in Portadown?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe police authorities at Portadown and Lurgan have up to the present been very fully occupied in endeavouring to maintain the peace, and I have, therefore, not yet been able to obtain the details necessary to answer the question fully. I have received a telegram this morning to the effect that both towns are now quiet, but the state of feeling remains such as to require the retention of the extra police force for the present. Two men were arrested at Lurgan on Monday night on a charge of riot, and have been returned for trial. A considerable number of persons have been identified as taking part in the riots at Portadown, and these will be arrested and prosecuted. I have already stated that a constable at Portadown received serious injury to the eye. The district inspector at that place is confined to bed with an injury to the head caused by a stone. At Lurgan a sergeant suffered fracture of the ankle, and a constable had his jaw broken. At both places a considerable number of policemen received lesser injuries. I have not yet received a detailed report upon the allegation contained in the newspapers that a bottle was thrown from the hotel in Portadown. I may say, however, that in the reports which I have received the police have made no statement that they saw a bottle thrown from the hotel.
§ Mr. MacVEAGHIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that in the police statement read out a couple of days ago it was said that a bottle was thrown?
§ Mr. BIRRELLNo, Sir; it was stated that they were informed that a bottle was thrown; they did not say they saw it thown.
§ Mr. JOHN O'CONNORCan the right hon. Gentleman say why it is that the authorities in Dublin did not provide a sufficient force to meet this contingency, and whether in a Nationalist demonstration there would have been an ample force to deal with anything that might have happened there?
§ Mr. BIRRELLI cannot admit that the force was insufficient for the purpose; it was a very large force of police.
§ Mr. MacVEAGHCan the right hon. Gentleman say how it was that with 600 extra police on the spot only four arrests were made?
§ Mr. LONSDALEIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the disturbance on the evening of Monday arose out of the stoning by a Nationalist mob of a Protestant band which had been to the railway station to give a send-off to two of its members who were going to America, and whether it is the fact that a Nationalist procession passed through Lurgan on Monday, the 16th inst., without interference of any kind whatever?
§ Mr. MacVEAGHIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that those two Orangemen who are going off to America do not go off until Saturday next?