§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILLI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he can explain why a number of officers and men of the Royal Irish Constabulary recently sent to the School of Musketry at Hythe for rifle drill and to qualify for certificates of proficiency to act as musketry instructors, instead of undergoing the course with the Martini-Henry rifle, with which the constabulary force were recently supplied, are undergoing the course of instruction with the Lee-Metford or magazine rifle; is it contemplated to re-arm the Irish constabulary force and place them on the same lines as the military as regards equipment; and, if so, on what grounds is the contemplated alteration based.
§ MR. WYNDHAMIn process of time all forces are armed with weapons of a newer pattern, since it is inconvenient and extravagant to continue the manufacture and inspection of separate types. I am unable to give even approximately the date on which Lee-Metfords will be issued to the police.
§ MR. DILLON (Mayo, E.)Are we to understand, then, that magazine rifles are to be issued to the Royal Irish Constabulary?
§ MR. WYNDHAMI should say that that will inevitably be the case in the 59 course of time. As the Martini succeeded the Snider, the Lee-Metford must succeed the Martini. We cannot go on making obsolete weapons.
§ MR. DILLONWill you consider the desirability of depriving Irish police of rifles altogether?
§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILLWere these men sent to Hythe to be instructed in the use of the magazine rifle? Is the Royal Irish Constabulary to be made an absolutely military force?
§ MR. WYNDHAMThere is no intention of doing that.
§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILLWere the men sent to Hythe to be instructed in the use of the rifle?
§ MR. WYNDHAMThey go every year, and if the hon. Member tells me that they fired with the magazine rifle, I have no doubt it is true.
§ MR. JOYCE (Limerick)Will the Government arm the English constabulary with these rifles?