5. Captain CRAIGasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he has been informed of a cattle-drive which took place on the 11th instant, near Edenderry, in King's County; whether thirty head of cattle and thirty sheep were driven off some grazing lands for a considerable distance; whether any arrests have been made or any persons made amenable for this outrage; and what steps are being taken to protect the owners of the cattle on this land from further outrage?
§ The CHIEF SECRETARY for IRELAND (Mr. Birrell)The police authorities inform me that thirty-one head of cattle and thirty sheep were driven off a farm near Edenderry on the night of the 11th instant. Most of the cattle were found uninjured next morning on the public road close to the farm. So far the police have not obtained sufficient evidence to justify any arrests. Frequent patrols visit the farm with a view to preventing a repetition of the occurrence.
§ 14. Mr. NEWMANasked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that, owing to the intolerance displayed by a section of the population of Cork City, street preachers and members of the Salvation Army are compelled to hold their services under police protection; and whether he has any information as to the causes or origin of the methods of intimidation now practised?
§ Mr. BIRRELLI am informed that a local body of street preachers and the Salvation Army hold open air meetings in Cork without molestation every Sunday afternoon. Whenever open-air services are held it is usual to have some police in the vicinity.
§ 15. Mr. NEWMANasked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that on the 15th instant the street corners of the town of Millstreet, county Cork, were painted by means of a tar brush with an appeal to boycott England's Army, and printed notices also extensively posted calling on young men not to join the British Army and Navy; and whether, in view of the fact that no special efforts have been made for some years past to attract young men to either Service, he will have inquiries made as to the reason for the above-mentioned course being adopted?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe police inform me that a notice advising young men not to 1202 join the Army or Navy or police was painted with a tar brush in Millstreet on the 15th instant, and that printed notices to the same effect were posted round the town. Such notices have, from time to time, been posted in the district and are believed to be the work of a few people of extreme views.
§ Mr. NEWMANIs it a fact that the very same notices have been posted round Dublin?
§ Mr. BIRRELLEveryone knows that such notices, unfortunately, do appear in Cork and Dublin and other places, but wise people take no notice of them?
Captain CRAIGIs it not a fact that not only wise people take no notice of them, but that fools close their eyes to them?
§ 16. Mr. NEWMANasked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that on the 19th instant, on the occasion of a foreign missionary demonstration held at the Wesley Chapel, in Cork, the congregation were prevented from leaving the church owing to the presence of a hostile crowd, which had been congregated in the street, and were detained until the arrival of a force of constabulary; whether it was necessary for the constabulary to charge the crowd before the congregation could be conveyed from the building; and whether any arrests have been made?
19. Captain CRAIGasked the Chief Secretary if his attention has been called to an attack threatened by a hostile crowd of over 1,000 Roman Catholics on members of the Methodist Conference now in session at Cork, and their friends, during a missionary meeting held in the Wesley Chapel, Cork, on Wednesday evening, the 19th June; if he is aware that the missionary meeting in the Wesley Chapel was repeatedly interrupted during the addresses of the president and others, and while hymns were being sung if crowds outside the windows shouted and sung a rebel song called "A Nation Once Again"; and that a large force of police had to be requisitioned to give protection to the persons who attended the missionary meeting, and if many of those who attended had to escape by a side door and get away by back streets; and if he will take all necessary steps to have the members of the Methodist Conference and all other Protestant assemblies accorded adequate protection to carry on their duties in future?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe police inform me that open-air meetings were held by Methodist preachers in Cork on the 16th, 17th, and 18th instant. As their addresses met with marked disapproval they decided to discontinue meetings in the street. This decision was not generally known and a number of people gathered on the 19th expecting a meeting, and when none was held moved to the Wesley Chapel, where service was going on. A large and rather rough crowd soon collected and began to sing and shout. A head constable who was present with a few police thought it wise to ask the congregation to remain for a few minutes in the chapel until he got some more men. He then moved back the crowd and the congregation left without interference. There was no charge nor was there any misconduct on the part of the crowd necessitating arrests. There has been no repetition of this disorder.
§ Mr. SWIFT MacNEILLIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that Wesley and his followers were never molested in the whole history of Ireland by Irish Catholics?
§ 21. Mr. CHARLES CRAIGasked how many shooting outrages there have been in county Galway since 1st January last?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Inspector-General informs me that there were nine shooting outrages in county Galway since 1st January last.