§ CAPTAIN J. CRAIGI beg to ask the Prime Minister if he will state the amount of the increased cost of administration to the Treasury and the counties affected respectively, consequent on cattle-driving, outrages in which firearms have been used, boycotting, and other forms of intimidation in Ireland since the present Government was returned to office.
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY FOR IRELAND (Mr. BIRRELL,) Bristol, N.The Royal Irish Constabulary was increased last autumn by 400 men, and is now being further increased by 350 men, with the object mainly of dealing with cattle-driving. The cost of these additional men will be approximately £47,000 per annum, of which a moiety will fall upon 585 the counties concerned. There will be further charges for travelling, conveyance of prisoners, and such matters, some of which will be borne by the Constabulary Vote, and some will fall upon the counties. It is not possible to apportion the charges between the different classes of offences.
§ CAPTAIN J. CRAIGWhen will there be an opportunity of discussing in this House these extraordinary charges?
§ MR. BIRRELLOn a day allotted to Irish Estimates.
§ CAPTAIN CRAIGI beg to ask the Prime Minister whether he is kept in formed of the number of outrages in which firearms are used, the extent to which cattle-driving is being carried on, the spread of boycotting and other forms of intimidation in Ireland, as well as the judicial comments on the existing state of affairs made from time to time by His Majesty's Judges; and will he state how long the Government intend to permit such lawlessness to continue before taking adequate steps to uphold the law and afford due protection to the lives and property of the loyal, peaceful, and industrious minority in Ireland.
§ MR. J. MACVEAGHBefore the right hon. Gentleman answers that Question, may I ask him whether he has any reason beyond their own assertion to believe that this minority is loyal; whether he is aware that on the disestablishment of the Irish Church they threatened to kick the late Queen's Crown into the Boyne, and whether the hon. Member himself did not threaten to raise a bloody war if the Government continued a particular course, and does he think that it is correct to describe this minority as a peaceful one?
§ CAPTAIN CRAIGMay I explain I never used such an expression? I said that if the Government pursued the course they were at that time taking, a bloody war would follow, and I am sorry to say it has proved only too true.
§ THE PRIME MINISTER AND FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURY (Mr. ASQUITH,) Fifeshire, E.In answer to the 586 Question on the Paper, the Answer to the first part of the Question is in the affirmative. If by the latter part of the Question the hon. and gallant Member means to inquire whether the Government intend to put the Criminal Law and Procedure Act into force, the reply is in the negative. The Government have taken, and will continue to take, all possible measures within the ordinary law for the preservation of the peace, the punishment of offenders, and the protection of the persons and property of all classes of his Majesty's subjects.
§ MR. MOORE (Armagh, N.)Have the proceedings taken under the ordinary law proved to be adequate?
§ [No Answer was returned.]
§ CAPTAIN CRAIGHow long do the Government intend to go as they are doing?
§ MR. ASQUITHThat depends to some extent on the length of time the Government holds office.
§ CAPTAIN CRAIGAre we to gather from that that during the tenure of office of the present Government they will take no further steps to put down lawlessness in Ireland?
§ [No Answer was returned.]