§ Mr. MOOREasked the Chief Secretary if he is aware that, on Sunday morning, 26th June, several trains carrying Nationalist excursions passed through Portadown from the Coalisland direction towards Dundalk, and again on the return journey in the evening, and, without any provocation except that the inhabitants of the town are mainly Protestants, discharged a fusillade of revolver shots at houses and persons; will he say what steps he proposes to take to prevent a recurrence of this conduct; and if the police have made any inquiries into the circumstances with any effective results?
§ Mr. BIRRELLI am informed by the constabulary authorities that a number of shots were fired from excursion trains passing through Portadown on the date mentioned, but without causing any injury to person or property. Such demonstrations are unfortunately not uncommon in the North of Ireland, and it is extremely difficult to prevent them. The police have made, and are making, inquiries with the view of tracing the persons who fired the shots, but so far without success.