§ Mr. FIELDI beg to ask the Chief Secretary a question, of which I have given him private notice: Whether he can state the reason why a meeting of town tenants was prevented from being held in Kevin Street; whether he can state by whose authority and upon what information the meeting was proclaimed; whether the police were present in large numbers to prevent the meeting, and whether the officer in charge refused to give any reason for its prevention?
§ The CHIEF SECRETARY for IRELAND (Mr. Birrell)A meeting of the Town Tenants' League was announced to be held on the 15th instant at 42, Upper Kevin Street, in connection with, the threatened eviction of a tenant from those premises. The police informed the organisers of the meeting that it could not be held at that place, and it was agreed to hold the meeting in Lower Kevin Street, which is some little distance from the premises in question. A force of thirty-three police was present. The meeting was not proclaimed, but the police considered it inadvisable that it should be held immediately outside premises in connection with which a dispute was in progress.
§ Mr. FIELDArising out of the reply, might I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether the police communicated to the organisers of the meeting that they would not allow it to be held in Upper Kevin Street?
§ Mr. BIRRELLOh, yes.