HC Deb 17 June 1920 vol 130 cc1424-5
11. Mr. ARCHDALE

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if he is aware that at the last Local Government elections in County Tyrone isolated Unionists were warned by notices posted up near their houses that if they voted Unionist, as was expected, it would be taken as a sign that they were enemies of Ireland, and that they would be shot, and many con- sequently were afraid to vote; and whether there are any means of preventing the county council acting with a false Sinn Fein Nationalist majority?

Mr. HENRY

One intimidatory notice of the kind referred to was brought to the notice of the police in the Tyrone County Council Elections.

Mr. ARCHDALE

Is it not a fact that owing to the absence of the police at the various booths in the county, and owing to the intimidation, no arrests can have been made? There were thousands of cases of personation. I know of a woman in Armagh who died a week before voting?

Mr. RAFFAN

Has the right hon. Gentleman any reason to believe that this had any effect on the election?

Mr. HENRY

I can form no opinion on the question of the hon. Gentleman. As to the first supplementary question, that a voter dies a week before voting, it is not at all an uncommon occurrence in Ireland.