§ Mr. NANNETTIasked the Chief Secretary if he was aware that applications had been made to the Chief Commissioner of Police by the management of the Royal Marine Hotel, Kingstown, and other hotel proprietors, to grant an extension of time for balls to private residents in accordance with the past usage; and if he would explain why the Chief Commissioner had refused to grant the privilege?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Chief Commissioner of the Dublin Metropolitan Police informs me that an application of the nature indicated in the question was recently made to him by the manager of the Royal Marine Hotel, Kingstown, who was informed that, under the Licensing Acts, hotels in Ireland are on exactly the same terms in regard to entertainments as public-houses, and must conform in every respect to the regulated hours of closing. The police are bound to enforce the law, and have no authority to grant any exemption.
§ Mr. NANNETTIIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that in the particular case of the Royal Marine Hotel that it was well known for many days previous to the holding of the dance that it was to take place, and that the police took no action until all the arrangements had been made, and whether he can see his way to put a 1664 stop to such vexatious interference in the future?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe police are under no obligation to discover what festivities are going to take place in their district. If they had known of it I have no doubt they would have called the attention of the proprietors to the subject.
§ Mr. NANNETTIAre the social amenities of a city like Dublin to be placed in such a position that you cannot get a dinner or a dance in the hotel owing to the vexatious action of the police?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe last time I was stopping at a hotel in Dublin there was both a dinner and a dance in it.
§ Mr. SLOANMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether it is not the fact that the police exercising this duty are only carrying out the ordinary law?
§ Mr. BIRRELLI have already stated that the police are simply doing their duty. They are not doing what has been referred to because they want to do it, but because they are obliged to do it.
§ Mr. NANNETTIasked the Chief Secretary if he was prepared to pass a short Act assimilating the English and Irish laws in connection with the holding of dances or balls on licensed premises; and, in the meantime, would he take such steps as to requisition the police to give all reasonable permission to Dublin citizens to enjoy their social life without molestation?
§ Mr. BIRRELLI am prepared to consider the question of legislation on this point when an opportunity arises, but it is obviously impossible to do anything in the matter at present. I cannot interfere with the enforcement of the existing law by the police.