MR. SWIFT MACNEILL6 (Donegal, S.)To ask the Secretary to the Admiralty whether H.M.S. "Calliope" is tow cruising round the Irish coast for the purpose of naval enlistments; whether the provisions in the King's Naval Regulations authorising the infliction, for trivial offences, of scourgings of twenty-four strokes with birches nine oz. in weight, and of twelve strokes with canes for trivial offences, will be explained to boys and youths in Ireland before they enlist in the Royal Navy, and whether intending candidates in Ireland for enlistment in the Royal Navy will have an opportunity of seeing the cat-o'-nine-tails, birches, and canes supplied to every ship of war and training ship by the Dockyards in accordance with the regulation patterns kept in these establishments; and what steps, if any, will the naval authorities take to secure 215 that not merely intending candidates in Ireland for enlistment in the Navy but their parents and guardians may be apprised of the flogging régime to which boys and youths in the Navy are subjected.
(Answered be Mr. Pretyman.) The "Calliope" is at present on the coast of Ireland carrying out her second summer cruise. With reference to the rest of his Question, I must refer the hon. Member to replies I have already given to former Question on the same subject.