§ MR. C. P. SCOTT (Lancashire, Leigh)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether he has received the verdict of the court martial in the case of General Kritzinger; and, if not, whether he will give instructions that it shall be communicated to him so soon as delivered; and, whether he will undertake that it shall be made public as soon as received.
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WAR (MR. BRODRICK, Surrey, Guildford)No, Sir, the trial of Commandant Kritzinger is not yet over. Lord Kitchener will communicate the result with his decision by telegraph, and I will see that it is published without delay.
§ MR. C. P. SCOTTMy Question is whether the verdict will be communicated to the right hon. Gentleman as soon as it is delivered, and before it goes to Lord Kitchener for confirmation.
§ MR. BRODRICKIt is not usual to communicate anything to the public until after the decision of the general officer, nor is the verdict published until it has been first considered and then confirmed by the General officer.
§ MR. C. P. SCOTTWill the verdict not be known at all in South Africa before it is communicated to the right hon. Gentleman?
§ MR. BRODRICKNo, Sir. I presume it will not be known. Such verdicts are not necessarily published until after they are communicated properly in the ordinary course.
§ MR. PIRIE (Aberdeen, N.)In the event of the verdict being one of capital punishment, will the sentence be carried out before it is communicated to this House?
§ [No answer was returned.]
§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILL (Donegal, S.)You are not responsible for it!