HC Deb 16 April 1888 vol 324 cc1313-4
MR. ROWNTREE (Scarborough)

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, If it is correct that troops drafted into Ennis on Sunday the 8th instant, to preserve the peace of the town in view of a Nationalist meeting summoned for the afternoon, marched through the streets from the Railway Station, on entering the town in the morning, singing Rule Britannia and cheering loudly, to the disturbance of persons assembled in their places of worship; and, whether such conduct by troops detailed to act under such circumstances is in accordance with the Rules of the Service?

THE CHIEF SECRETARY (Mr. A. J. BALFOUR) (Manchester, E.)

said, the Question should be addressed to the Secretary of State for War.

THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WAR, (MR. E. STANHOPE) (Lincolnshire, Horneastle)

said: From Reports which have been received from the officers commanding the detachments drafted into Ennis on the 8th instant, it appears that some of the troops cheered the Hussars on their arrival and departure, and also sang patriotic songs as they marched; but it is stated that they did not commence singing until after they had passed the chapel where Mass was being celebrated. They are also reported to have cheered Her Majesty. I do not see that in any of these proceedings any Regulation has been departed from.

MR. ROWNTREE

May I ask, arising out of this Question, whether the chapel to which the right hon. Gentleman refers was the parish chapel or the Franciscan Chapel?

MR. E. STANHOPE

My want of local knowledge does not enable me to say; but the information I have received states that they were long past "the chapel" before any singing began.

MR. ROWNTREE

Will the right hon. Gentleman make further inquiries as to whether it was the parish church or the Franciscan Church that his information refers to?

MR. E. STANHOPE

I cannot undertake to do that.

MR. COX (Clare, E.)

Will the right hon. Gentleman grant an independent inquiry if the clergyman of the church gives evidence that he saw the soldiers passing the church singing?

MR. E. STANHOPE

No; I do not propose to grant an inquiry.