§ 24. Mr. BRIANTasked the Chief Secretary whether his attention has been called to the statement of General Crozier that last September a party of Auxiliaries disguised as members of the Irish Republican Army held up a post office in Kilkenny and stole considerable sums of money; whether any inquiry has previously been held into this case; and whether any punishments have been inflicted?
§ Sir H. GREENWOODThis is one of a series of allegations made by General Crozier in the Press. The matter was never brought to my notice by General Crozier during the period of his command of the Auxiliaries or by anyone else. I am having it investigated.
§ 30. Mr. BRIANTasked the Prime Minister whether he has seen the statement of General Crozier that he has information as to the murder of Father Griffin in County Galway by members of the Auxiliary division, and that a highly placed official at Dublin Castle was involved in the suppression of evidence bearing upon this case; and whether, in view of the extreme gravity of these charges, the matter will be placed before an impartial tribunal?
§ Sir H. GREENWOODMy attention has been drawn to statements which have 1215 appeared in the Press to the effect that General Crozier is in possession of evidence relating to a number of charges that have been brought against servants of the Crown in Ireland. If General Crozier, or any other person who can bring forward genuine and well authenticated evidence to justify the re-opening of cases which have already been the subject of full and impartial inquiry, will communicate that evidence to my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister, or to myself, I can promise that it will be carefully considered by the Government.
32. Major BARNESasked the Prime Minister whether he has seen the statement of General Crozier that the evidence as regards the shooting of three men named Clune, Clancy, and McKee, in Dublin Castle guardroom was manipulated by officials; and whether he will now arrange for a full and impartial investigation into the matter?
§ Sir H. GREENWOODI have seen in the Press the statement attributed to General Crozier to which reference is made in the question. If there is the slightest foundation for the statement, General Crozier must be in a position to afford additional information which would assist materially in any further investigation of the matter. I have already stated in this House that I invite and will await such further information. Meantime, I stand upon the finding of the Court of Inquiry composed of British Regular officers which investigated the death on the 22nd of November last of these men, and who satisfied themselves after hearing all available evidence that they were shot by members of the Crown forces after an act in the execution of their duty in an attempt to overpower their guards and make good their escape.
Lieut.-Colonel GUINNESSCan the right hon. Gentleman say whether General Crozier brought these facts to his notice while still in office, and whether there would have been any difficulty in giving the right hon. Gentleman all these facts, if he believed them?
§ Sir H. GREENWOODNeither these nor any of the other allegations were ever brought to my attention by General Crozier, although he could see me at any 1216 time, and I did, as a fact, see him on parade at an inspection of an artillery company a few weeks before his resignation.
Lieut.-Colonel GUINNESSIs it not a fact that many of the cases in this, dossier appear to have been produced by officers who, like General Crozier, have left the Auxiliary Force because they were unsuitable?
§ Lieut. - Commander KENWORTHYWas General Crozier entitled to apply direct to the right hon. Gentleman in this case, or had he to send his evidence to a superior?
§ Sir H. GREENWOODThe Chief Secretary is always approachable by a senior officer of police or military, if necessary, in Ireland.
33. Major BARNESasked the Prime Minister whether he has received a report through General Crozier from an officer who was present at the shooting at Croke Park, who declared that the firing by the Black and Tans was done without any provocation; whether this report was considered by the court of inquiry; and whether the officer in question was asked to give evidence?
§ Sir H. GREENWOODI have not received the report referred to by the hon. and gallant Member, and am therefore not in a position to reply to the remainder of the question.
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHY(by Private Notice) asked the Chief Secretary whether Brigadier-General Crozier was requested to give evidence at the trial of the cadets charged with looting at Trim; whether Brigadier-General Crozier is unable at present to attend owing to illness; and whether it is intended to conclude the trial without his evidence, or to postpone it as in similar cases in other trials, or to obtain a sworn statement from the General as in the case of District Inspector King and the Mallow shooting?
Lieut.-Colonel GUINNESSIs it not a fact that the hon. and gallant Member for Central Hull (Lieut.-Commander Kenworthy) has continually criticised the Government for postponing this trial, and how can the right hon. Gentleman explain this change of front?
§ Sir H. GREENWOODBrigadier-General Crozier was requested to attend 1217 the trial. He sent a doctor's certificate to the effect that he was unable to make the journey to Ireland owing to the state of his health. The prosecution has not applied for an adjournment for reasons given, namely, that in Brigadier-General Crozier's summary of evidence taken in Dublin no evidence was disclosed that would assist the prosecution, but, if the defence or the Court desire to have any evidence from Brigadier-General Crozier, it is open to the Court to adjourn the trial.
§ Lieut. - Commander KENWORTHYSeeing that Brigadier-General Crozier was one of the principal witnesses of the whole affair in the first place, does the right hon. Gentleman consider that the inquiry can be complete without his evidence?
§ Sir H. GREENWOODI took all that into consideration. I insisted on Brigadier-General Crozier giving a summary of evidence and on his being requested to attend the trial because I foresaw exactly this kind of question being asked. Brigadier-General Crozier gave a summary to the legal advisers of the Commander-in-Chief, which disclosed no evidence against any cadet. We had the greatest difficulty in finding the General's address and only discovered it through the "Daily News."I regret that this officer has not attended the trial to help in the prosecution.
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYDid not the right hon. Gentleman say that he had a doctor's certificate, and why does he make that imputation against this officer?
§ Sir H. GREENWOODWe had two certificates from a doctor. The first certificate disclosed no specific cause of illness. We asked for a second certificate, which went on to say that Brigadier-General Crozier was suffering, I think, from nerves or neurasthenia—
§ Mr. MOSLEYHe did not in the War.
§ Sir H. GREENWOOD—and was suffering, also, from an unfortunate accident which he received to his head while in command of the Auxiliary Division in a motor accident.
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYHe was on active service, and was ambushed.
§ Sir H. GREENWOOD(indicating dissent): On these grounds, the doctor 1218 said that he could not allow him to go to Ireland. I regret that he was unable to attend the trial.
Mr. O'CONNORMay I ask if this officer, as to whom the right hon. Gentleman has made such damaging statements, such damaging insinuations, as he could, is not one of those gallant officers the very imputation of anything offensive or wrongdoing on their part was denounced by him as evidently false because of the gallant services of such officers?