§ 8. Mr. KINGasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he can now state in outline, or by a detailed statement 1515 in the OFFICIAL REPORT, the recruiting scheme by districts which has been adopted in Ireland; whether the threat of Conscription is being used as a lever to induce voluntary enlistment; whether the speech of Mr. Sergeant Sullivan at Limerick, in which he stated that Irish recruits could be easily placed in a barbed-wire cage and then taken to France and watched over by some 3,000 invalids, will be censured as a recruiting speech not to be repeated; and whether he can state how many voluntary recruits have come forward?
§ Mr. SHORTTThe details of the scheme and the figures asked for will be ready for publication on Saturday. I am not aware that the threat of Conscription is being used as a lever to induce voluntary enlistment. The statement made by Sergeant Sullivan was not as represented in the question. He did not refer to recruits, but only to people who were likely to disturb the recruiting movement.
§ Mr. KINGIs the right hon. Gentleman not aware of the great amount of comment and publicity given to this statement of Mr. Sergeant Sullivan, and will he take notice of it and tell the recruiting authorities to be a little more tactful?
§ Mr. SHORTTI am aware of the publication of the correct statement of Sergeant Sullivan, but not of the incorrect.