§ Major NEWMANasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he is aware that at places throughout Ireland drilling of volunteers pledged to assert by force the imposition of a republican form of government on their fellow citizens, and in 869W defiance of His Majesty's Government, is of daily occurrence, and takes place often without interference from the responsible authority; whether he is aware that at Gun on the 11th instant the local volunteers were put through various drill movements in view of a force of police, who were present while the parade lasted; and that at Listowel Petty Sessions, on the next day fourteen school children were summoned and fined 1s. each for making a collection outside the church of Ballydonoghue for the National Aid Fund; and, having regard to the feeling caused by the Government's refusal to proceed against the ringleaders of the revolutionary movement, will he say what action he proposes to take?
§ Mr. DUKEI made a full statement to the House on 23rd October as to the drilling of Volunteers in Ireland, and of the extent to which prevention is in my opinion necessary and practicable. I am informed that a party of young men were put through certain movements recently at Gun under the observation of three officers of the Royal Irish Constabulary and that the fact was reported to the competent military authority. The persons who were fined at Listowel were adults who were summoned for breach of police regulations.