HC Deb 06 March 1917 vol 91 cc201-3
21 and 74. Mr GINNELL

asked (1) why the literary material for the annual report of the Society for the Preservation of the Irish Language, seized and taken away by the military from the house of Mr. J. J. O'Kelly, secretary of that organisation, has not yet been returned; when it will be returned; and (2) in view of the reports published by order of the Government that the arrests and deportation of the Irish alleged suspects were to be carried out without needless harshness, if he will say whether the treatment of Mr. J. J. O'Kelly was in accordance with those instructions; whether it was in accordance with instructions that the police, having arrested him outside his house, permitted him to enter only on the condition of accompanying him; with him entered a bedroom in which Mrs. O'Kelly and an infant were lying ill; stayed there more than half-an-hour while Mr. O'Kelly was consulting his wife and making changes of dress; searched all his pockets, taking away all the papers they contained; entered his library and abstracted papers, part of a projected historical work; waited at the door of a closet while Mr. O'Kelly was inside; put him into a cell with Mr. Sean T. Kelly to lie on the floor or occupy one stool between them; given for breakfast stale bread and slops which neither prisoner could taste; left fasting till 4 p.m.; not given a meal sent in by friends until it was stone cold; Mr. O'Kelly's doctor refused admittance to dress his sore foot; the cell bell when rung by the prisoners persistently disregarded; taken away without any evening meal; left long at Holyhead and at Chester to get food for themselves if they had money, and if not to fast; marched through Oxford under escort like criminals; kept standing in a street there under a downpour of rain; and all the ten untried prisoners brought there were turned out on the streets to provide for themselves, though some of them were known to be penniless; and, this being the practice under the alleged order of leniency, whether he will allow this question to be published as extensively as the alleged order has been published?

The CHIEF SECRETARY for IRELAND (Mr. Duke)

All papers taken by the military from the house of Mr. J. J. O'Kelly were returned on the 22nd ultimo. I have inquired of the various officers who were entrusted with duties in connection with the deportation of suspected persons from Ireland, and am assured that there is no foundation for the charges of ill-usage made in the question. The Order given by competent military authority to the Provost Marshal at Arbour Hill Barracks was in these terms: During their detention in Arbour Hill Barracks, they will he treated with every consideration and will be allowed to purchase what food or drink they may require. Those who have no money will be liberally supplied with food both at Arbour Hill and on the journey to their destinations. They will he given facilities to inform their relatives of their whereabouts and future movements and for the purpose of obtaining any personal requirements, clothing, etc. The officer in charge at the barracks reports as follows: I saw this party two or three threes at times Arbour Hill and again on the boat before leaving, with a view to obviating complaints. On each occasion I was informed that they had no complaints and were satisfied as to their treatment whilst under detention. The commandant reports that: J. J. O'Kelly was treated in precisely the same way as all the other civilians handed over to me for safe custody. There was not a word of complaint from any one of them—in fact several voluntarily expressed their appreciation of the consideration shown them. The sergeant of the escort who had charge of the party on their removal, states that: On the day subsequent to arrival at Oxford all, these men came round to see him and thanked him for the kind and courteous treatment they had received on the journey, and that he particularly remembered J. J. O'Kelly thanking him. They inquired the name of the officer in command of the escort

Mr. GIN NELL

May I ask the Under-Secretary for War, to whom the first of my two questions was addressed, and with which the Chief Secretary has nothing to do, whether he has any answer to that question?

Mr. MACPHERSON

I cannot add anything to what my right hon. Friend has said.

Mr. GINNELL

The Chief Secretary has answered my question with reference to recent events, but my first question relates to events last May. Can I have an answer on this point from the Under-Secretary for War, and will he say why Mr. J. J. O'Kelly's daughter was refused admission to dress her father's sore foot?

Mr. DUKE

I tried not to emulate the length of this question in my answer. I am informed that Mr. O'Kelly was asked if he would like to see anyone by the doctor in charge of the barracks and he replied that he did not wish to see anybody.

Mr. GINNELL

Is the Chief Secretary in a position to deny a single one of the items in these questions?