§ 15 and 17. Mr. GINNELLasked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether the military order, under the Defence of the Realm Act, has yet been issued for the destruction of the monuments of 1798 throughout Ireland, as promoting disaffection and being prejudicial to recruiting; if not, whether the order will be issued and executed during the recess; and (2) if he is in a position to say when the military authorities intend, under the Defence of the Realm Act, to remove the treaty stone 2259 at Limerick, as promoting disaffection and being prejudicial to recruiting; and what they intend to do with the stone?
§ Mr. TENNANTI may say generally that the good sense and good feeling of the great majority of the people of Ireland make it unnecessary to issue any orders with reference to monuments connected with sad incidents of long ago.
§ Mr. GINNELLIn view of the fact that the military authorities assume control over monuments and this may mean serious consequences, will the right hon. Gentleman give the date at which they draw the line between what is permissible and what is not, and on which side of that date, for instance, will monuments erected to the memory of those shot by the police during the land agitation stand?
§ Mr. TENNANTThat is a comprehensive question involving a larger one of historical instances. I am not aware that the military authorities take special care of monuments in general. The hon. Gentleman asked me some time ago why a particular monument was not allowed to be erected and I said it was because it was feared that the inscription on the monument was likely to injure recruiting.
§ Mr. GINNELLWill the inscription on the monument erected to the memory of those shot by the police during the land agitation be destroyed?
§ Mr. TENNANTI must ask for notice.
§ Mr. PRINGLEHave they placed a veto on a statue to the hon. Member for North-West Meath?