|
|
Societies in Ireland shall be deemed unlawful, the members of which are required to take oaths declared unlawful by 50 Geo. 3. c. 102., &c.;
as also societies having members whose names are kept secret, &c.
All members, &c. of such societies shall be deemed guilty of unlawful combination.
|
[1.] Any and every society, association, brotherhood, committee, lodge, club, or confederacy whatsoever, now established or hereafter to be established in Ireland, of the nature herein-after described, shall be and be deemed and taken to be and is hereby declared to be an unlawful combination and confederacy; that is to say, any and every society, association, brotherhood, committee, lodge, club, or confederacy, the members whereof shall, according to the rules thereof or to any provision or agreement for that purpose, be required or admitted or permitted to take any oath or engagement which shall be an unlawful oath or engagement within the intent and meaning of the said recited Act of the fiftieth year of his late Majesty’s reign, or to take any oath not required or authorized by law; and any and every society, association, brotherhood, committee, lodge, club, or confederacy, the members whereof or any of them shall take or in any manner bind themselves by any such oath or engagement upon becoming or in consequence of being members of such society, association, brotherhood, committee, lodge, club, or confederacy; and any and every society, association, brotherhood, committee, lodge, club, or confederacy, the members whereof shall take, subscribe, or assent to any test or declaration not required by law; and any and every society, association, brotherhood, lodge, club, or confederacy, of which the names of the members or any of them shall be kept secret from the society at large, or which shall have any committee or select body chosen or appointed in such manner that the members constituting the same may not be known by the society at large to be members of such committee or select body, or which shall have any president, treasurer, secretary, delegate, or other officer, chosen or appointed in such manner that the election or appointment of such persons to such offices may not be known to the society at large, or of which the names of all the members, and of all committees or select bodies of members, and of all presidents, treasurers, secretaries, delegates, and other officers, shall not be entered in a book or books to be kept for that purpose, and to be open to the inspection of all the members of such society; and all such societies, associations, brotherhoods, committees, lodges, clubs, and confederacies as aforesaid are hereby declared to be unlawful combinations and confederacies; and every person who shall become a member of any such society, association, brotherhood, committee, lodge, club, or confederacy as aforesaid; and every person who shall, directly or indirectly maintain correspondence or intercourse with any such society, association, brotherhood, committee, lodge, club, or confederacy, or with any division, branch, lodge, committee, or other select body, president, treasurer, secretary, delegate, or other officer or member thereof as such, or who shall, by contribution of money or otherwise, aid, abet, or support any such society, association, brotherhood, committee, lodge, club, or confederacy, or any member or officer thereof as such, shall be deemed guilty of an unlawful combination and confederacy.
|
