§ Mr. DEVLIN(by Private Notice) asked the Chief Secretary whether his attention has been drawn to the case of Mrs. Ellen Quinn who was shot on Monday evening last, and whether it is the fact that this woman was sitting on the lawn in front of her house, County Galway, with a young baby in her arms when she was fatally wounded by a rifle shot fired from a passing lorry containing uniformed men, and whether he is aware that there is a general practice on the part of uniformed men to drive about country districts in motor cars wildly discharging rifles and revolvers, to the great danger of innocent people, and will he take immediate steps to have the parties guilty of this murder brought to justice?
§ Sir H. GREENWOODI regret to have to say that Mrs. Quinn was fatally wounded on the 1st instant. A Court of Inquiry opened on the case to-day at 10 a.m. I am informed by the police authorities that two police lorries were passing at the time, and it may be that the wounding resulted from a shot fired in anticipation of an ambush in the neighbourhood.
§ Mr. DEVLINFrom the baby in her arms.
§ Lieut. - Commander KENWORTHYWho are the baby killers now. [HON. MEMBERS: "You!"]
§ Sir H. GREENWOODIt is not the general practice for uniformed men to act as the hon. Member suggests in his question.
§ Mr. DEVLINIt is.
§ Lieut. - Commander KENWORTHYMay I ask whether there is any record kept of the patrols run by these motor lorries; whether the ammunition has to be accounted for when they return; and whether there is any log kept by these motor lorries?
§ Sir H. GREENWOODOf course there is a very careful record kept of the patrols, the number in the patrol, those in charge of the patrol, the time of departure, the route, the time of return, and the amount of ammunition expended; but in Ireland, especially in counties like Galway as it is to-day, the police and the military have every right to anticipate ambushes, and to prevent them if possible.
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYIf that is the case, can my right hon. Friend say if there will be any difficulty in tracing which lorry this was; and, if so, can he assure the House that the most drastic steps will be taken to deal with the person who shot this woman, taking pot shots at innocent women?
§ Sir H. GREENWOODI must protest against that allegation.
§ At the end of Questions—
Mr. O'CONNORI 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 continuance of the policy of frightfulness during the last few days by the armed forces of the Crown in Ireland, including murder, the burning of towns, the destruction of property, and the threats of assassination of English Pressmen for publishing the details of these crimes."
§ The pleasure of the House not having been signified, Mr. SPEAKER called on-those Members who supported the Motion; to rise in their places, and not fewer than forty Members having accordingly risen, the Motion stood over, under Standing Order No. 10, until a Quarter Fast Eight this evening.