Dr. O'NEILLasked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that, on the eve of 1st July and early in the morning of the 1st, a number of Orangemen paraded through the village of Bessbrook and repeatedly discharged firearms near some houses occupied by Catholics; that the police made no effort to stop these men, who were known to Sergeant Ballantine and also known to other members of the force in Bessbrook; that no prosecution of any kind for discharging firearms followed; that, on 11th July, a crowd of Orangemen again started parading around the village and kept up a continuous discharge of revolver shots from about 11.30 p.m. till one o'clock, many of the shots being discharged over the houses of Catholics, to the terror and annoyance of the inmates; and whether, in view of the inaction of Sergeant Ballantine in coping with this conduct, he will be changed to some other district?
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§ Mr. BIRRELLThe constabulary authorities inform me that no shots were fired on either of the occasions referred to, and that no complaints of annoyance by the discharge of firearms or otherwise have been received from any person in the locality. It is not proposed to remove the sergeant to another station.