§ Mr. GUINEYasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he will state if District Inspector Price, Newmarket, was on duty on 26th May last, the day of the Newmarket shooting affray; and, if he was, will he state whether when on duty he is empowered by the regulations to entertain a party of friends at his house, and, knowing that there was a series of assaults committed on 11th May, why he did not make arrangements for extra police?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe District Inspector was on duty on the date in question. There is nothing in the police regulations to prevent an officer entertaining friends at his house, provided it does not interfere with the proper discharge of his duty, and the Inspector-General has no reason to believe that it did so on this occasion. There was no reason for anticipating the disturbances of 26th May from the assaults committed on 11th May. There was no connection whatever between the two occurrences.
§ Mr. GUINEYasked on what date the investigation was held by the police authorities into the conduct of District Inspector Price in firing himself and ordering his men to fire on a crowd of forty persons, as testified by him at the inquest held on the victim of the shooting at Newmarket on 26th May last; whether the only witnesses whose evidence was taken at the investigation were police witnesses; and whether the Inspector-General received a copy of the depositions taken at the inquest?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe investigation referred to was held on 9th June by the county inspector, who, besides examining police witnesses, made general inquiry from other persons, and had before him a report of the sworn evidence given at the inquest. The Inspector-General did not receive a copy of the depositions taken at the inquest.