§ 27. Mr. MORRELLasked the Secretary of State for War if he has yet received any further report upon the circumstances under which the public were excluded from the court-martial held at Chelsea Barracks on 12th July, in spite of the King's Regulation that a court-martial shall always be open to the public so far as the limits of the Court allow; whether he is aware that no less than five credible witnesses, two of them Members of this House, are ready to state that on the occasion mentioned the Regulation was not complied with and that the information supplied to him on this subject was inaccurate; and whether he will see that in future the King's Regulations are as far as possible carried out?
§ Mr. FORSTERThe General Officer Commanding has again been asked for 296 further information on the subject, and has repeated his former statement that general orders have been given for the admittance of members of the public at these trials in such numbers as the capacity of the room will allow, and disobedience of these orders is in contravention of his instructions, and he is assured that they were acted upon on this occasion. Further orders will be given, in order to prevent any misunderstanding in the future.
§ Mr. FLAVINMay I ask whether those instructions apply to courts-martial in Ireland?
§ Mr. FORSTERNo, Sir.
§ Mr. MORRELLDo I understand the right hon. Gentleman to deny that the sergeant in command of the guard had instructions from the Commanding Officer to say that the Court was not open to the public?
§ Mr. FORSTERThe General Officer Commanding says that instructions were given that the public are to be admitted to those trials, and any disobedience of these orders is in contravention of instructions.