§ 35. Mr. LUNDONasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he is aware that two brothers named Lee were arrested at Cahirconlish, county Limerick, last March, on the charge of being absentees under the Military Service Act, and without any trial whatever sent across to Carlisle, where under com- 14 pulsion and without trial they were forced to join the Army; is he aware that these two boys only left their homes on the 24th August, 1915, to take up two temporary posts in an asylum at Carlisle; whether these men ever joined the regiment into which they were supposed to be attached as a protest against the methods of trial they were subjected to; whether one of them was arrested recently and without trial hauled off to Tralee; and, in view of the recent decision of the King's Bench in the case of John Jones, will this man be released from Tralee and given a fair trial?
§ Mr. FORSTERInquiries have been made into the facts of this case, and it has been ascertained that the brothers Lee were arrested in Ireland in March and brought to Carlisle under escort. They were not taken before a Civil Court at Carlisle, as they elected to serve if posted to an Irish regiment. They were posted to the Munster Fusiliers on the 30th March and given travelling warrants to Tralee. Prior to arrest, the brothers Lee had been resident in Great Britain from the 24th August, 1915, to the 4th March, 1916, and they did not claim to be ordinarily resident in Ireland. Inquiries are being made from Tralee as to what happened subsequent to the men being posted.
§ Mr. LUNDONAs these men allege that they were forced into the Army, will the hon. Gentleman, in view of the decision of the High Court of King's Bench that no man can be handed over to a military tribunal without. the right of trial in Ireland, allow the man now in Tralee Gaol to be released and tried before an ordinary tribunal?
§ Mr. FORSTERThere is no evidence as far as I know of their being forced into service, but if they had not been willing to join the forces they would have been taken before a Civil Court in Carlisle. I am told that they joined the forces purely voluntarily.
§ Mr. LUNDONIn view of the decision of the King's Bench, will the hon. Gentleman have one of these men discharged to be tried by an ordinary tribunal?
§ Mr. FORSTERPerhaps the hon Member will give me notice of that.