§ Mr. JOHN REDMOND(by Private Notice)asked the Prime Minister whether he is aware that the continuance of military executions in Ireland has caused rapidly increasing bitterness of exasperation amongst large sections of the population who have not the slightest sympathy with the insurrection; and whether, following the precedent set by General Botha in South Africa, he will cause an, immediate stop to be put to military executions?
§ Sir W. BYLEShad given private notice of the following question: To ask the Prime Minister whether the executions 284 and other punishments meted out to the Irish rebels have the direct and considered sanction of the Government, or are they the uncontrolled judgments of the Military Courts?
§ The PRIME MINISTERBefore I answer the question, let me say that from the very first the hon. and learned Gentleman (Mr. J. Redmond) has strongly urged upon the Government—and his arguments have not fallen on unwilling ears—the importance of clemency to the rank arid file of persons engaged in this insurrection.
In answer to this question, and to another of which I have received private notice from my hon. Friend the Member for Salford, I have to say that General Sir J. Maxwell has been in direct and personal communication with the Cabinet on the subject. We have, great confidence in the exercise of his discretion in particular cases, and his general instructions, which conform to his own judgment in the matter, are to sanction the infliction of the extreme penalty as sparingly as possible, and only in cases of responsible persons who were guilty in the first degree. No one is more anxious than the Government and Sir J. Maxwell himself that these cases should be confined within the narrowest limits, and cease at the earliest possible moment.
§ Mr. LYNCHHas Sir John Maxwell acted entirely on his own judgment or has he been in consultation with the Cabinet?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI said so.