§ 54. Major ARCHER-SHEEasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will state what recognition, if any, has been made by the authorities of 3171 the extra duties performed by the Metropolitan, City, and Essex police during the recent dock strike?
§ 56. Mr. REMNANTasked the Home Secretary if he will state what extra leave or extra pay in lieu of leave he proposes to give to those members of the Metropolitan Police force for the extra work thrown on them by the recent dock strike?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for the HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. McKenna)The Commissioner informs me that so far as the Metropolitan Police are concerned, the necessary adjustment for the extra duty performed will be made by giving time off, and I have no doubt the City and Essex authorities will make suitable arrangements in accordance with their own rules or practice.
58. Mr. FRED HALL (Dulwich)asked the Home Secretary if, in order to avoid the necessity of men who desire to work and are wantonly attacked by strikers being compelled to arm themselves with firearms, he will make more adequate provision for the protection of non-union labourers?
§ Mr. McKENNAThe Port Authority is responsible for the policing of the docks, but the Metropolitan Police have always been ready to give assistance where it has been needed. The use of firearms has been unnecessary, and the Port Authority, I am glad to say, have prohibited firearms being brought within their premises.
Mr. F. HALLMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether he will consult the Chief Secretary for Ireland, who has had experience of a somewhat similar kind?
§ Mr. LANSBURYMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman if he will also consult the Chief Secretary for Ireland as to the effect of the inflammatory speeches made in regard to Ulster?
59. Mr. F. HALLasked the Home Secretary if he will state whether the arrests made in connection with the dock disturbances on 31st July include any of the unionist workers whose violence made it necessary for those attacked to shoot in self-defence and in face of overwhelming numbers; and if any steps will be taken to secure the punishment of Mr. Ben Tillett, who has urged his followers to adopt any means at their disposal to prevent non-unionists working?
§ Mr. McKENNAThe answer to the first question is that the arrests made on the 31st July include both unionist and non-unionist workers; to the second, the answer is in the negative.
60. Mr. F. HALLasked the Home Secretary whether a representative of the firm employing the non-unionist labourers who were attacked by strikers on 31st July called at the Home Office on that day and asked for protection; if such protection was refused; if the men who were attacked fired at their assailants in self-defence; and if, although he refused to meet the employers concerned with a view to devising means to prevent a recurrence of disturbances, he afterwards saw Mr. Ben Tillett, who threatened some time ago to shoot Lord Devonport, to receive complaints from him as to the action of the non-unionists in defending themselves against acts of brutality?
§ Mr. McKENNAI presume the question refers to Messrs. Houlder, who called at the Home Office on 31st July with regard to an attack on their workmen in the South West India Dock. Their request for protection was not refused. On the contrary, the Permanent Under-Secretary of State, who saw them, said if protection were required outside the docks it would be given at once by the Metropolitan Police; and that if it were required in the docks the Port Authority was responsible, but assistance would be given by the Metropolitan Police if the Port Authority applied for it. He undertook to communicate at once with the Commissioner of Police, and, on doing so, found that assistance had already been given at the request of the Port Authority's Chief Constable. There was no shooting either by unionists or non-unionists in this case. I declined to see Messrs. Houlder later in the day. Some hours after the-matter had been disposed of and the necessary police assistance given, I received a deputation in the evening from the Labour party and the Strike Committee on a new and urgent matter, and Mr. Tillett was present.
Mr. F. HALLWill the right hon. Gentleman communicate to the House what was the new and urgent matter to which he has referred, and which he was in communication about with his Friend Mr. Tillett?
§ Mr. McKENNAThe hon. Member may remember that the new and urgent matter 3173 in question was the subject of debate on the last occasion when this matter was discussed on Thursday.