§ Mr. MacVEAGHasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, whether his attention has been called to the fact that a Unionist farmer near Ballynahinch, county Down, who had refused to sign the Carson covenant and had refused to attend a recent Unionist demonstration in Ballynahinch, has since been subjected to much annoyance, and that the tails of four of his horses were cut off close to the stump; and whether the perpetrators of the outrage have been brought to justice?
§ Mr. BIRRELLI am informed that the farmer referred to, who takes no part in politics, was not asked either to sign the covenant or to attend the meeting referred to. The police inform me that some inches of hair were cut off the tail of a mare and a few tufts cut off the side of the tail of a young horse which belong to the farmer referred to, and were grazing on his farm. He did not report the matter to the police and was very annoyed when it was reported in the Press. He says the injury done was trifling. The flesh of the animals was not injured in any way. He has not been subjected to any further annoyance.