§ MR. KEIR HARDIE (West Ham, S.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has received a resolution passed by a numerously attended public meeting of the inhabitants of Hull requesting the Government to withdraw the troops; and whether he will comply with the request; and, if not, whether he will cause an independent inquiry to be made as to the reasons for the continued presence of the soldiers and gunboats?
§ MR. ASQUITHNo such resolution as that referred to by the hon. Member has been received at the Home Office from any meeting of inhabitants at Hull; but as I have already informed the House on more than one occasion, so long as the Local Authorities are of opinion, and I see no sufficient reason to differ from them, that the presence of the forces is necessary for the maintenance of order, they will not be withdrawn. There has been no collision of any kind between the forces and the people, and I 61 am satisfied from the reports which reach me daily that their presence has been attended with beneficial results.