§ MR. W. REDMOND (Clare, E.)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State 713 for War whether he is aware that the Irish soldiers belonging to the 22nd Company, Royal Artillery, central district, and to the 1st and 8th Companies, western district, Malta, were ordered on St. Patrick's Day to remove from their helmets the shamrock which they wore in honour of the national festival of Ireland; and, if so, upon what authority the order was given; and whether it is intended to deprive Irish soldiers of the right to wear the emblem of their country upon St. Patrick's Day?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WAR (Mr. CAMPBELL-BANNERMAN, Stirling Burghs)As I stated two years ago, in this House, permission to wear a national emblem rests entirely with officers commanding units, who are authorised to exercise their discretion as occasion arises. No report has been received of the circumstances referred to in the question; and there is no reason to suppose that the discretion of the Commanding Officers was not properly exercised. We know nothing of the facts?
§ MR. W. REDMONDasked if the right hon. Gentleman would be good enough to make inquiries as to the facts alleged in the question?
§ MR. CAMPBELL-BANNERMANsaid, that the hon. Member was good enough to show him a letter setting forth the complaint. He did not think that on the strength of that letter he could well interfere. He had not received any complaints of the same kind from any other quarter, and although the feelings of the hon. Gentleman's correspondent were hurt it was on a small scale—he did not mean that the feelings were hurt on a small scale but that the transactions were on a small scale—and he did not think he would be justified in interfering.
§ MR. W. REDMONDasked if the right hon. Gentleman was aware that the grounds he had for putting the facts of this question to him were altogether different to those stated in the letter referred to.
§ MR. CAMPBELL-BANNERMANsaid, that if that was so, he would make inquiries into the circumstances.
§ MR. T. M. HEALY (Louth, N.)said, the right hon. Gentleman had said he had not received any complaint from any other quarter. He had given 714 notice of a similar question for next Thursday.
§ MR. CAMPBELL-BANNERMANIt has not reached me.
§ MR. T. M. HEALYIt is on the Paper of the House.
§ MR. W. REDMONDMay I ask how soon the right hon. Gentleman expects to be able to reply?
§ MR. CAMPBELL-BANNERMANIt will be some time, seeing that communication has to be made with Malta.
§ MR. W. REDMONDHow long?
§ MR. CAMPBELL-BANNERMANA month or six weeks.