§ 19. Mr. KINGasked the Home Secretary whether an Irish widow, Mrs. Clarke, of Dublin, is now interned at Holloway; whether she is in good health; whether she has been allowed to see or communicate with her young children; and whether any application to visit her has been received, refused, or granted?
§ Mr. BRACEMrs. Clarke is interned in Holloway Prison. She refuses to be medically examined, but, though she is not strong, her health does not appear to have deteriorated since her reception. She is allowed to communicate with her children if she wishes, and has written to and received letters from friends. One application for permission to visit her has been received, but the visit has not been allowed.
§ Mr. KINGIf someone could represent that he wants to make her more reasonable and amenable, will that person be allowed to visit her?
§ 16. Mr. KINGasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he has now been able to allow any of the Irish interned persons to see their friends, relatives, or legal 487 advisers; if so, in how many cases; whether there have been any of these persons allowed to come before the Advisory Committee set up in accordance with Regulation 14 B; if so, how many; and whether any artists or literary authors among these prisoners have been or will be allowed artists' materials or other necessities for the practice of their arts?
§ Mr. SHORTTThree visits have been allowed, two in the case of legal advisers, and one under special conditions. No interned person gave notice of appeal to the Advisory Committee within the time allowed. The answer to the last part of the question is in the affirmative if the persons concerned make the necessary application.
§ Mr. KINGWill these persons, like literary men, who are interned, be apprised of this kind of concession, or are they to be told from outside, or how are they to know that they can have such concessions?
§ Mr. SHORTTNow, as always, they have immediate notice, but they do not always choose to take advantage of it, hence the rumour that they are not allowed.
§ 17. Mr. OUTHWAITEasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he has now secured sufficient evidence to enable a prosecution for treason to be brought against the Irish men and women who have been deported and imprisoned?
§ Mr. SHORTTThere is sufficient evidence, but no prosecutions for treason are considered necessary or advisable.
§ Mr. OUTHWAITEWill the right hon. Gentleman give the reason why he does not proceed against these persons, particularly in view of the belief held in Ireland that this action of the Government is simply taken to suppress a political movement and that the whole charge is faked up—a view expressed, I see, by a Bishop in Ireland last week?
§ Mr. SHORTTI should have thought that the reasons were obvious. There is certainly no such belief held at all widely.
§ Mr. SHORTTNo, Sir; certainly not.