Mr. FENWICKasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether his attention had been drawn to the fact that a detachment of men from H.M.S. "Calliope," with their band, and trailing a gun, took part in a political demonstration at Holeyns Hall, Wylam, on Saturday, 31st July; if he could state whether the band and gun referred to belonged to the Volunteer Naval Brigade or the ordinary bluejackets, and the name of the officer who gave permission for the use of the gun; whether such proceedings constituted a breach of the King's Regulations; and, if so, what steps he proposed to take in order to put a stop to such practices?
§ Mr. McKENNAThere is no truth in the allegation of the newspaper of which the hon. Member has sent me a copy, and on which I understand his question is based. I am told that a private company of boy bluejackets, organised by philanthropic people in Newcastle at their own expense, engaged in some sports in a field some hundreds of yards from the place where a political meeting was held. The company used no Government property, and is quite 238 unrecognised by the Admiralty. I am informed, however, that none of the party went near the political meeting or took the slightest interest in it.
Mr. FENWICKAs there is a great discrepancy between the information supplied to the right hon. Gentleman and that supplied to myself, from both public and private sources, will the First Lord make further inquiry, with a view to a future question which I shall address to him?
§ Mr. McKENNAI have twice made inquiry on the point, and I shall be happy to show my hon. Friend the answers which I have had, and which, I am sure, will convince him, as they have convinced me, that nobody in or connected with the Navy had anything to do with this particular garden party.