§ 22. Mr. LYNCHasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland the date of the starting of the Ulster Volunteer movement; the date of the starting of the National Volunteer movement; and the date of the Arms Proclamation?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Ulster Volunteer movement was started early in January, 1913, the Irish Volunteers on the 25th November, 1913. The date of the Proclamation against the importation of Arms was 4th December, 1913.
§ Mr. LYNCHDoes not the right hon. Gentleman agree that these dates show an unfair discrimination against the Nationalist force?
§ Mr. BIRRELLNo, I do not agree with that.
§ 23. Mr. LYNCHasked the Chief Secretary whether he has had his attention called to the fact that a great many public bodies in Ireland have protested against the Arms Proclamation; and whether he will advise the withdrawal of the Proclamation?
§ Mr. BIRRELLI have received a number of resolutions on this subject. As I have already stated the validity of the Proclamation prohibiting the importation of military arms and ammunition into-Ireland has been recently called into question in the Courts, and the matter is still sub judice.
§ Earl WINTERTONDoes it make the slightest difference as regards getting arms into Ireland, whether there is a Proclamation or not?
§ Mr. BIRRELLYes, it does.
§ Mr. LYNCHDoes not the right hon. Gentleman regard it as inconsistent to maintain this Proclamation, and yet not to consider gun-running an infringement of the law?
§ Mr. BIRRELLWe do consider gun-running an infringement of the law.
§ Mr. BIRRELLAction has been taken against the ships employed in gun-running.
§ Mr. CROOKSHave you captured any body?
§ 24. Mr. NEWMANasked the Chief Secretary whether his attention has been drawn to the field state of the Irish National Volunteer force, as published on 7th instant, giving as on the 3rd instant 891 drill centres and 153,500 men drilling, as against 630 drill centres and 114,900 members of the force drilling on the 10th ultimo; whether he has been able to verify the field-state figures given above; and will he say how the numbers returned compare with the latest information he has relative to the strength of the Ulster Volunteer Force?
§ Mr. BIRRELLI have seen the statement referred to. The latest information supplied to me by the police gives the total membership of the Irish National Volunteers and of the Ulster Volunteers as approximately 132,000 and 85,000 respectively.
§ Mr. KILBRIDECan the right hon. Gentleman say how many soldiers and ex-soldiers belong to either of these forces?
§ Mr. BIRRELLI cannot give the exact figures, but there are a considerable number of Reservists in both forces, and I believe there are rather more in the National Volunteers than in the others.
§ Mr. KILBRIDEThere are 38,000 ex-soldiers and Reservists belonging to the Irish Volunteers.
§ Mr. BIRRELLThen the hon. Member has the information.
§ Mr. MacVEAGHHe wants to give it to you.
25. Mr. KELLYasked the Chief Secretary on what grounds were two of the Irish National Volunteer Force arrested in Stranorlar on Monday last, hurried before a resident magistrate, and returned for trial without being allowed an opportunity of instructing a solicitor; and can he explain how the solicitor for the Ulster Volunteers was the only individual outside the authorities who had knowledge of the time and character of the proceedings?
§ Mr. BIRRELLI am informed that the two men referred to were returned for trial for affray and assault and that they were defended by a solicitor. No application for an adjournment was made to the magistrate who returned the parties for trial. I presume the solicitor 1216 who appeared for the assaulted parties had been communicated with by them. The case is sub judice, and I am not prepared to make any further statement on the subject.
Mr. KELLYCan the right hon. Gentleman state why the adjournment was opposed by the Crown Solicitor in view of the fact that the resident magistrate who returned the accused for trial remarked that no riot had taken place, and that the whole case is very flimsy. And can the right hon. Gentleman also explain why a mere Petty Session outrage is magnified into a coercion trial?
§ Mr. BIRRELLI must have notice of that question.
§ Mr. KILBRIDEIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the sergeant who was prosecuting gave his name as Bonar, and that the Ulster Conservative party considered that an insult to the Conservative party in this House?