§ The following questions stood on the Paper in the name of Mr. W. O'BRIEN: 10 and 77. (1) To ask what is the result of the inquiries as to the arrests of three teachers of the Christian Brothers' schools in Charleville and of two other young men, Joseph and Richard Nagle, who were marched off handcuffed through the town and prevented even from receiving overcoats from their mother; and whether the immediate discharge of these young men will be ordered in deference to the public opinion of a town almost every household in which has contributed a recruit to the Army; and (2) to ask why no information has yet been received from Charleville with respect to the military raid upon that town; have the military authorities refused to offer any explanation; if so, what steps will be taken to enforce the authority of the civil government over Sir John Maxwell; will he say whether, while this question has remained unanswered, the soldiers remain quartered on the inhabitants; whether a constable named Prendergast has represented that he was fired at three times; whether sixteen young man, including one who has two brothers serving in the Army, were in consequence arrested, and discharged on the following morning in the absence of any evidence whatever against them; whether four unimpeachable witnesses have since tendered evidence to the authorities that they saw Prendergast himself fire three shots with a revolver at his cap which he held in his hand; and whether he will comply with the demand of the townspeople for a sworn public investigation into the alleged shooting at Prendergast and the rest of the outrages to which the people of this town have been subjected?
Mr. O'BRIENI do not know whether there is any representative of the Chief Secretary who can answer these questions?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for the HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. Herbert Samuel)This is a military matter, and should be addressed to the War Office.
§ The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for WAR (Mr. Tennant)I am afraid that I have not got the particulars yet.
Mr. O'BRIENIn my second question I ask whether the right hon. Gentleman has been refused information by the military authorities? Is that so? If it is so, are steps going to be taken by the civil government to enforce their authority?
§ Mr. TENNANTI am sorry that I have not been able to get the information.