§ MR. HEALYasked the Secretary of State for War, If his attention had been called to the description in The Kentish -Express, of 24th May, of the attack made on the shop of Mrs. Ready, High Street, Margate, by the men of the East Kent Mounted Rifles while recently up for training; whether it is the fact that the Mayor requested the inhabitants to decorate their houses with bunting in honour of their visit; that, in compliance with this request, Mrs. Ready hung out a green flag with a harp and Union Jack and the words "Homo Rule" underneath; that this flag was cut down by the men as they returned from, drill, while under the command of the Marquis of Ormonde; that several of them broke into Mrs. Ready's shop (she having closed the door against them) by the fanlight, and used threatening language towards the woman, who is sixty years of age; that one of them drew his sword and disarranged her stock, demanding that she should give up any more flags or mottoes in her possession, and incited the mob which assembled to insult her; that they trailed the flag which they tore down under their horses' feet, and afterwards burnt it publicly on the Marine Terrace Green; whether the Marquis of Ormonde, as Colonel of the regiment, took any notice of these proceedings, or endeavoured to find out the perpetrators; and, what the War Office proposes to do in the matter?
THE MARQUESS OF HARTINGTONAn irregularity did take place, which, however, is not quite accurately described in the Questions. There were two distinct transactions; one the tearing down of the flag as the regiment returned from drill under Lord Ormonde's command; the other, the intrusion into the shop by some men of the corps after the regiment had been dismissed, and when the commanding officer no longer had direct control over his men. In the latter case the men did not wear their swords, so that none could have been drawn, and the threatening language is denied. On the occurrence being brought to the notice of the commanding officer, he made full inquiry, and, without ex- 244 cusing his men, came to the conclusion that the matter had been exaggerated. He ordered the commanding officers to speak strongly to their respective troops, and to caution them against the repetition of such unsoldierlike conduct in future; and inquiries were made with a view to compensating the occupant of the shop for any loss she might have suffered. Under those circumstances, it is not considered necessary to take any further notice of the affair.