§ Mr. LONSDALEasked the Chief Secretary whether he was aware that on the night of the 19th or 20th June a stallion ass, belonging to a man named Mahon in the Athenry district, was horribly mutilated; whether any steps had been taken to discover and punish the perpetrators of the outrage; and, if so, with what result?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe police are closely investigating this shocking case, which happened at night. No arrests have yet been made.
§ Mr. LONSDALEasked the Chief Secretary whether his attention had been called to a case of cattle-maiming which came before the Gort Quarter Sessions on Saturday, when Michael Finn, of Castleturbin, Athenry, obtained a decree for £10 and costs for malicious injury done to his cattle; whether he was aware that the evidence showed that the cattle were severely beaten, and that one bullock had about four inches of its tail cut off, and that the judge remarked that it was most brutal conduct to beat cattle in such a manner; and whether he would state why no proceedings were taken in this case against those who drove and maltreated the cattle for cruelty to animals?
§ Mr. BIRRELLI am informed by the constabulary authorities that compensation was granted in this case as stated in the question. The cattle were injured while on the farm and were not driven off it. The persons who committed the injuries have not been identified.