§ Lord R. CECIL(by Private Notice) asked the Attorney-General for Ireland whether he can give any information about the reported murder of two policemen at Upton, in County Cork, on Sunday; the wounding of a policeman at Ennis on Saturday; the attempt to blow up a police barracks at Armagh on Sunday; a raid on a post office at Kerry on Saturday; and whether any other serious outrages have occurred in Ireland during the week-end?
§ The ATTORNEY-GENERAL for IRELAND (Mr. Denis Henry)The Divisional Commander of Bandon reports as follows:
On Sunday a patrol of one sergeant and two constables when passing near Upton Railway Station, County Cork, were ambushed at 5 p.m. by an armed party in a wood. Sergeant Train and Constable Goldrick were shot dead. The third man, Constable Power, escaped uninjured. The police were armed. Their arms were not taken by the murderers.
§ Lord R. CECILDid the police use their arms?
§ Mr. HENRYPolice-Constable Power reported that he fired, but naturally, as it was an ambush in a wood, he saw that his return fire would be ineffective. The reports proceeds:
At 10.45 p.m. on Saturday, while Constable Sam Swanton was on his way to his lodging, having reported off duty, he was attacked by a number of men, one of whom fired a revolver, the bullet passing through the fleshy part of his thigh, about four inches above the knee. The constable made his escape, when he was fired on again. The wound is clean and no complications are feared. The constable made a statement, and three men have been arrested in connection with the outrage.As to the report in the Press regarding the attempt to blow up a police barracks 833 at Armagh, where a bomb was used, I can give no further information. A raid seems to have been made on a post office in Kerry, but I am unable to give further information in regard to that. In addition to the matters referred to by the Noble Lord, there was also an attack on a police barrack at Feeny in County Londonderry, where a bomb was used. Last night an attack was made at 2 a.m. on Clonroche Police Barracks, in County Wexford, by 200 armed men, who used hand grenades. They were beaten off at 4.20 by the constabulary. No injuries were sustained by the police.
§ Brigadier-General CROFTHas there been any lessening of crime in Ireland since the introduction of the Home Rule Bill?
Colonel LOWTHERWill the men who have been arrested and been imprisoned for the murder of these police be given their freedom if they threaten to go on hunger-strike?
§ Major O'NEILLCan the right hon. Gentleman say, if there is any truth in the report that on two or three days last week an Irish Soviet Committee took over complete control of the City of Waterford?
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYThey would keep order, anyhow.
Mr. PALMER(by Private Notice) asked the Home Secretary whether his attention has been drawn to the disorderly scenes which occurred outside Wormwood Scrubs prison last night, and to the public feeling aroused by the hunger-strike there of Sinn Fein suspects imprisoned without trial; whether in order to remove any legitimate grounds of public agitation steps will be immediately taken so to relax the prison rules as to insure that these hunger-strikers shall no longer be treated as if they were persons who had been tried, convicted, and sentenced?
§ Mr. T. P. O'CONNORI also gave notice to the Home Secretary of a private question. Most of the ground has been covered by the question which has been asked by my hon. Friend, but I do not think that he has asked how many of 834 these prisoners are convicted, how many are deported without trial, and how many are on hunger-strike?
§ Mr. MacVEAGHMay I ask the Home Secretary, in the case of these men who who have been untried and unconvicted, if there is any evidence against them, why they are not put upon trial, and if there is no evidence against them why they are not released?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for the HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. Shortt)There are 179 interned Irish prisoners in Wormwood Scrubs prison, and there are five other prisoners in another prison. A hundred and seventy-nine of the prisoners in Wormwood Scrubs are now refusing: food. The policy now followed in Ireland of giving special ameliorative conditions to such men has always been followed in this country. I do not understand that any demand is now being made by the men or their friends for any improvement in the conditions of the men interned in the country. They have not been brought to trial nor is it proposed to bring them to trial. As perhaps hon. Members are aware the fear of being murdered prevents truthful evidence being given in Ireland even upon the most atrocious crimes.
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYHas the attention of the right hon. Gentleman been called to a recent case in which one of the witnesses was proved to have committed perjury and to be a man of no character whatever, and a verdict of innocence was brought in, and that being the case, will the Government reconsider this question before these men are starved to death?
§ Mr. SHORTTThe case referred to was brought to my notice, and may I remind the House that it was the Crown itself which disclosed the fact that the witness in question was a man of no character.
§ Mr. MacVEAGHAre these men detained under an Order of the Home Office or under an Order of the Irish Office, and, in addition to never being tried, have they never been told what was the charge brought against them?
§ Mr. SHORTTThey are there by order of the Irish Government.
§ Captain W. BENNHave they been informed of the charge laid against them, and if they persist in their hunger strike what will the Government do?
§ Mr. SHORTTThey are all told that they are arrested on suspicion, and that they can bring their case before the judicial tribunal.
§ Sir DONALD MACLEANWould the right hon. Gentleman consider the advisability of setting up an Advisory Committee under the Defence of the Realm Act, before whom these cases could be brought, under precisely the same procedure as before?
§ Mr. SHORTTWe cannot bring them before such a tribunal now, but they can, if they choose, be brought before a tribunal, if they ask for it themselves.
§ Sir D. MACLEANIs not my right hon. Friend aware that these men, under the previous procedure, were always brought before the Committee without having to apply for it?
§ Mr. SHORTTI will consider that, but as the law stands it has to be at their request.
Mr. PALMERWill these men be allowed to die, or will the Government at the last moment give way as they did at Mountjoy?
§ Mr. SHORTTI cannot make any statement on that point.
§ Mr. MacVEAGHWhy has not any charge been brought against them? If there is any charge surely they ought to be told what the charge is. If there is no charge and there is no evidence, on what principle of British law are these men kept in prison?
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYPrussianism.
§ Lord R. CECILI beg to ask leave to move the Adjournment of the House for the purpose of discussing a definite matter of urgent public importance, namely, the continued growth of crime and disorder in Ireland.
§ The pleasure of the House having been signified, the Motion stood over under Standing Order No. 10, until a quarter past Eight this evening.