§ COLONEL KENYON-SLANEY (Shropshire, Newport)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for War whether or not his attention has been called to an alleged assault by a soldier in the Rifle Brigade upon his officer on church parade, at Portobello Barracks, Dublin, on Sunday the 12th instant; whether any assault actually occurred; and whether any steps can be taken by the War Office to discover the author of such a serious allegation?
MR. POWELL WILLIAMSNo such assault took place, and the paragraph is simply a tissue of falsehoods. The editor of the paper in which the account of the assault was given was imposed upon, and has apologised. It does not seem that the War Office can take any steps to discover the author of the statement.
§ COLONEL KENYON-SLANEYArising out of that answer may I ask whether, as a matter of fair play to the officers and men of this regiment, this contra- 502 diction of a disgraceful libel will be circulated as widely as possible?
MR. POWELL WILLIAMSThe Secretary of State accepts the honourable Member's description of the libel, and will be very glad to see the contradiction as widely circulated as the original report.