§ 34. Mr. KINGasked the Home Secretary what information he has of the state of health of a conscientious objector named Eagle, now detained in Maidstone Prison; whether this man has been on work strike for a considerable period; whether he is in a dying condition owing to disciplinary and dietetic punishments; and whether he will be released before fatal consequences ensue?
§ The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for the HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. Brace)This man is in good health, and there appears to be no ground whatever for the suggestion that his health has been injured by disciplinary and dietetic punishments. He has been punished on four occasions during the last two months for refusing to work, but the punishments awarded were of a very moderate kind.
§ Mr. KINGIs not the right hon. Gentleman aware that we often get the statement that men are in good health and subsequently we find that they have collapsed and even died?
§ 35. Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKEasked the Home Secretary on whose authority the conscientious objectors at Princetown have been allowed to hire a cottage for use as a kind of club; whether this hostel, as the conscientious objectors call it, is a hotbed of revolutionary propaganda; and will he cause inquiries to be made with a view to the closing down of this establishment?
§ Mr. BRACEI understand that a building in Princetown called "The Friends? Hostel" is rented by a committee of the Society of Friends, and is open to conscientious objectors while out on leave. No meetings of any political organisation have been held on the premises, and no literature other than books or magazines of general interest is sold or distributed. A meeting for worship is held every Sunday evening. As at present advised, I see no ground for interference.
§ Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKEIs it not a rule of the Home Office that no propaganda whatever shall take place in Princetown, and that no rooms shall be used for the purpose; and, if so, why is this room used?
§ Mr. BRACEI have explained to the hon. Member in my answer that this room is not being used for propaganda purposes.
§ 36. Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKEasked the Home Secretary why the programme used by the conscientious objectors at Prince town at the concert they gave on the Thursday after Christmas Day in the Wesleyan church bore no printer's name; and, having regard to the statutory provisions in such matter, what steps he proposes to take in the matter?
§ Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKEIs it not a fact that there were several pamphlets printed and that they had no printer's name upon them; is it to be supposed that these things are printed in the prison; and will the right hon. Gentleman say whether the conscientious objectors have free access to the prison press?
§ Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKEI will.
§ 37. Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKEasked the Home Secretary whether several hundred- 793 weights of dried fruit were supplied to the conscientious objectors at Princetown for Christmas, while other people in the vicinity and elsewhere had to go short; that 150 tons of coal a month are provided for consumption in the private gas plant in the prison, and this when ordinary citizens have to ration themselves to meet the calls of patriotism; why these men who have refused to defend their country against the enemy, and have left that task to their neighbours, are allowed to receive this preferential treatment; and why numbers of turkeys and geese were permitted to be consumed by these men at Christmas, seeing that food was and is so scarce a commodity that many people had and still have to go without?
§ Mr. BRACEDried fruit is part of the regular dietary at Princetown, but the amount consumed in the last three months of 1917 was less than 1 lb. per head. The consumption of coal for gas is 105 tons a month, which furnishes the supply not only of the prison building, with 1,200 inmates, but also of other Government buildings in Princetown. No turkeys or geese were supplied to or eaten by the men in the work centre, but possibly some of them dined at Christmas with their friends outside. The Committee is consulting the Ministry of Food on the question of the purchase of food by these men outside their rations.
§ Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKEDoes the right hon. Gentleman deny that several hundredweight of dried fruit were taken into the prison during Christmas week?