§ MR. PATRICK O'BRIEN () KilkennyI beg to ask the Under Secretary of State-for War whether, when Irish Militia regiments are brought to England and the men are asked to volunteer for service 63 at the front, he will provide Members of this House who may wish to visit Militiamen belonging to their constituencies who are in such regiments, with the opportunity of ascertaining in what way they were asked to volunteer for the front, and whether they were free agents or not, and with the necessary authority to interview them on these points.
§ COLONEL SAUNDERSON () Armagh, N.Arising out of that question, may I ask my hon. friend whether he is aware that the hon. Member for Kilkenny on a recent occasion is reported to have advised Irish soldiers to shoot their English comrades and join the Boers?
§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILLDon't stand that.
§ *MR. SPEAKEROrder, order! That does not arise out of the question.
§ *MR. WYNDHAMIn reply to the hon. Member who asked the original question, I have to say that this would be quite contrary to military discipline.
§ MR. CREAN () Queen's Co., OssoryIs the hon. gentleman aware that several of the soldiers have written to their friends saying that they have been coerced into volunteering?
§ *MR. WYNDHAMNo, Sir; I have no information to that effect, and I believe the case has been misrepresented.
§ *MR. SPEAKEROrder, order!
§ MR. PATRICK O'BRIENI beg to give the hon. Gentleman notice that if he brings Kilkenny Militia into this country I shall—
§ *MR. SPEAKEROrder, order! This is not the time to give notice.
§ MR. PATRICK O'BRIENI beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for War whether nearly 50 per cent, of the 6th Battalion Royal Irish Rifles (Louth Militia), stationed at Sheffield Barracks, have signified their objection to go to the front in South Africa; and if so, whether the men are within their rights in refusing 64 for foreign service; and whether he will see that no undue pressure is put upon them to compel or induce them to go.
§ *MR. WYNDHAMI have no information to the effect stated in the question. But, as I have before informed the hon. Member, commanding officers have received the most explicit orders not to place any pressure upon their men to accept service in South Africa, and the Secretary of State has no reason to believe that such pressure is being exercised.
§ MR. PATRICK O'BRIENMay I ask the hon. Gentleman whether, considering he asked me to postpone the question, he instituted the inquiries which he promised to make?
§ *MR. WYNDHAMI cannot accept the statement that I promised to make any inquiry. I have on more than one occasion given the answer I have given this afternoon.
§ MR. PATRICK O'BRIENI am in the recollection of the House—
§ *MR. SPEAKEROrder, order!
§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILLMove the adjournment.
§ *MR. SPEAKERThe question has been fully answered.
§ MR. PATRICK O'BRIENI will take the earliest opportunity to raise the question of the kidnapping of Irish Militiamen to send them abroad.
§ MR. PATRICK O'BRIENI beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for War whether he can explain the method adopted by the colonel of the 3rd Royal Munster Fusiliers (Militia), now stationed at Dover, en route to South Africa on the 21st inst., to ascertain whether any of the men were willing to volunteer for the front; whether he will inquire if the men were asked en masse while on parade; whether he is aware that very few of them understood the colonel's words; also that some men who were not on parade at the time afterwards explained to their officers that they were not willing to volunteer or be bound by what happened on parade on the occasion, and were then 65 told that the majority had volunteered, and that they were bound to go with them; whether he will order, before this regiment is sent to the front on the 21st inst., that each man is asked separately if he wishes to volunteer, and allowed reasonable time to give his reply, and that ho is protected against any attempt to influence him in his decision; and whether he will give the necessary authority to Irish Members of this House to interview any of their constituents who are amongst the 3rd Royal Minister Fusiliers.
§ *MR. WYNDHAMThere is no information on the subject in the War Office; but strict orders are given that no pressure is to be put upon the men; and the Secretary of State is not disposed to interfere with the commanding officer, who, he does not doubt, did his duty.
§ MR PATRICK O'BRIENPerhaps now I may be allowed to ask the Hon. Gentlemen if he did not send mo a letter from his Department asking me to post pone a question in order that he might make inquiry, and did he not tell me that personally?
§ *MR. WYNDHAMI have no recollection. It has escaped my memory if I said so. A letter may have been sent on my behalf.
§ MR. PATRICK O'BRIENAre we to understand that the hon. Gentleman is not responsible for letters that come from his Department?
§ *MR. SPEAKEROrder, order!
§ MR. PATRICK O'BRIENremained standing.
§ *MR. SPEAKERWhen I call the hon. Member to order I must ask him to resume his seat.
§ MR. M'GHEE () Louth, S.I wish to ask the Under Secretary of State for War a question of which I have given him private notice—namely, whether his attention has been directed to a letter dated 12th February, in the Irish press, from Dr. Logue, the Cardinal Primate of Ireland, with reference to the case of a Militiaman named Duffy, under orders, as he believe, for military service in South 66 Africa, without having been given any option of accepting or declining active service; and whether, having regard to the statement of the Cardinal on the subject of the grievances of this man, that "he knows as little of what he is about as a bullock being led to the shambles"—
§ *MR. SPEAKEROrder, order! This illustrates the inconvenience of not putting questions down. Members read out what would be struck out as irregular if the question were duly handed in.
§ MR. M'GHEEI am only quoting from the Cardinal's letter.
§ *MR. WYNDHAMPerhaps I may inform the hon. Member that I have not received his private notice. I should be glad if hon. Members would give me two or three days notice of these questions.
§ MR. M'GHEEThe case is urgent, because this man will soon be gone.
§ MK. SWIFT MACNEILLMay I ask whether a message sent by special messenger to the War Office before noon is likely to reach the hon. Member?
§ *MR. WYNDHAMI am certain to be there, but when there are thirty-five questions put down I cannot undertake to reply to such questions without fuller-notice.