§ Mr. MOONEYMay I ask the Vice-President of the Board of Agriculture for Ireland whether he is in a position to give the House any information with regard to the recent disturbance at Kilrea?
§ Mr. MOOREI beg to give notice that I intend to raise that question on the Motion for the Adjournment to-night.
§ Mr. T. W. RUSSELL (Vice-President of the Board of Agriculture, Ireland)A full police report has not yet reached the Irish Office, but I am able to say that it was not accurate to describe this disturbance as an attack upon women and children. The exact origin of the disturbance has not been ascertained.
§ Mr. RUSSELLHas not been ascertained by the police; but an excursion party returning from Portrush, and some Nationalists who had come together in the vicinity of a public-house, came into collision. The police were not present at the beginning of the disturbance. [An HON. MEMBER: "They never are."] They came upon the scene when stones and bottles were being thrown by the opposing crowds. Shots were fired on both sides, and two members of the Nationalist party were wounded by revolver bullets.
§ Mr. RUSSELLI am reading the telegram. Several windows were broken. Proceedings will be taken against those of the rioters who can be identified.
§ Mr. MOOREHow does it happen that although the disturbance happened on Saturday night the Irish Office have not got a report from the police authorities on Wednesday; and has the answer the right hon. Gentleman has given to us in the House been submitted to hon. Members below the Gangway?
§ Mr. RUSSELLThe answer to that question is in the negative. I am not able to explain why the police have not been able to send a full report.