§ 52. Mr. GINNELLasked whether the Defence of the Realm Act is administered in Ireland by the military authorities; whether it was with the consent of those authorities that the police at Blarney told Messrs. Mahony, of that place, that no Army contract would be given to them unless they broke up the Irish Volunteers of that place by requiring their employés to withdraw from that organisation under pain of dismissal; and, if this is an unusual form of interference with the placing of Army contracts, what action is to be taken with reference to if?
§ The FINANCIAL SECRETARY to the WAR OFFICE (Mr. Forster)The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. I am informed that no instructions of the nature mentioned were given by the Irish Government to any police officer or other person. As I informed the hon. Member on the 13th instant, no firm has been required, as a condition of obtaining Army contracts, to secure the withdrawal of its employés from the Irish Volunteers.