HC Deb 21 May 1901 vol 94 cc762-3
MR. BARTLEY (Islington, N.)

I beg to ask if I should be in order in putting to the Secretary for War the question which stands in the name of the hon. Member for Stafford, and which has not been asked. I wish to ask the question † See Debates [Fourth Series], Vol. xcii., page 329. because it rather reflects on certain persons. The question is "Whether any inquiry has been instituted into the charge recently made against a sentry at St. Helena of having shot a Boer prisoner dead whilst singing a hymn during the service of the Christian Endeavour Society, and whether any report has bean received by him; if so, will he state the effect of it."

THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WAR (Mr. BRODRICK,) Surrey, Guildford

My attention has been drawn to this statement. The reports from the officer commanding the troops at St. Helena show that there is no truth whatever in the statements made, which appeared in the Review of Reviews. The Boer prisoner alluded to as being shot at St. Helena was endeavouring to climb over the wire fence enclosing the prisoners' camp in the early morning before daylight. This assertion, like others persistently disseminated by this journal, is untrue and mischievous.

MR. WILLIAM REDMOND (Clare, E.)

Is it in accordance with the rules of the House for one Member to put a question which stands in the name of another?

MR. SPEAKER

I was rising to explain that the hon. Member for North Islington would not be in order in asking the question, but the Minister is in order in answering the question on the Paper, although it is not asked, if he thinks it is in the interests of the public, and I understood that that was the object of the Minister in rising.

MR. WILLIAM REDMOND

Of course, if it were in order, I could ask any number of questions.