§ MR. O'KELLYasked the Secretary of State for War, Whether his attention has been called to the series of assaults and robberies committed by soldiers of the Staffordshire Regiment at Athlone; and, whether he will take steps to protect the public from the recurrence of these outrages?
THE MARQUESS OF HARTINGTONSir, I am informed that the only disturbance which has recently occurred at Athlone was on the 24th of June, when there was a drunken quarrel. It was alleged that a civilian had been assaulted by soldiers of the North Staffordshire Regiment; but when the commanding officer investigated the case, the civilian was not forthcoming, and the soldiers could not be identified. On the 4th of July a soldier was sentenced to nine months' imprisonment for stealing a watch while drunk. With these exceptions the troops at Athlone are said to have been particularly well-conducted.