Lords Sitting of 21 February 1895

AUSTRALIAN COLONIES CUSTOMS DUTIES BILL [H.L.]
A Bill to amend the law with respect to Customs Duties in the Australian Colonies—Presented by the Marquess of Ripon; read la; to be printed; and to be read 2a on Thursday next. (No. 20.)
LOCAL GOVERNMENT (SCOTLAND) ACT, 1894, AMENDMENT BILL.—(No. 15.)
Read 3a (according to Order), and passed.

POLICE PROTECTION AT MONOMOLIN.
LORD MUSKERRYasked whether it was true that the Police Barrack at Monomolin, in the Oulart district, had been lately removed; whether it was erected to give protection to men who had taken boycotted farms; whether five farms in the immediate neighbourhood of the Barrack were still boycotted; and how near would be the nearest Police Barrack to Tomkins farm, which was boycotted, on removal of the Monomolin Barrack? He said that he was informed that the Police Barrack at Monomolin was established in consequence of the occurrence of a serious outrage and on the recommendation of the local Bench; that farms in the neighbourhood were occupied by men whom the National League described as "grabbers," and that the League of the district held meetings every fortnight, when the occupants of the farms were denounced in the usual terms. A crime might not be perpetrated in the district whilst the present Government remained in power, because the National League were their very good friends. But that crime would be committed sooner or later was almost certain, and should it occur when the present Government had relinquished office their successors must not be held responsible. The responsibility must rest upon those who had rendered crime possible by removing the Barrack. The local Magistrates had passed a Resolution recently, expressing regret at the removal of the Barrack, and he understood that their
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regret was shared both by the Protestant Rector and the Parish Priest.
LORD RIBBLESDALEsaid that it was true that the Police Barrack had been recently removed. It was also true that the police hut was erected to afford protection to men who had taken boycotted farms. There was, however, no boycotting in the district now, and, as far as those whom he represented knew, five farms were not boycotted. The nearest Police Barrack to Tomkin's farm was four miles distant, and there were two others within a distance of five miles. The police hut was erected in circumstances which no longer existed, and the reason for its discontinuance was the removal of the extra police force, which was justified by the quiet state of the county, and which had received the Assent of Her Majesty's Lieutenant for the County. It was considered by the Government that the Police in the Barracks to which he had referred would discharge adequately the services that might be required of them in respect of Tomkin's farm. The removal of the particular police hut mentioned in the question would result in a saving to the cesspayers of £140 per annum.
LORD ASHBOURNEobserved that it was no doubt a good thing to effect a saving, but that it was a serious matter to intrust the protection of a farm to police quartered five miles away. The noble Lord had not attempted to give any explanation with regard to the statement of the Magistrates that the removal of the hut was an unwise and rash step to take.
House adjourned at Twenty-five minutes before Five o'clock.