§ 24. Mr. C. WHITEasked the Chief Secretary whether an inquiry has been held into the alleged wrecking by the police of many houses at Castlerea, County Roscommon, on the 2nd August last; and whether any punishments have been inflicted?
§ Sir H. GREENWOODI have made inquiry into these allegations and I find that they have no foundation whatever. There was no case of wrecking in Castlerea on or about the date mentioned. The police report that the houses of four loyalist farmers were fired into on 23rd August by Sinn Feiners and their windows were broken. On 29th August the vacated police barrack at Loughglinn was maliciously burned. Perhaps the hon. Member refers to these outrages. I should be glad to know on what he has based the untrue allegation against the police in his question.
§ Mr. WHITEHow has it been found out that they were Sinn Feiners who fired these shots, and have they been punished or arrested for doing so?
§ Sir H. GREENWOODThat does not arise out of the hon. Member's question.
§ Captain W. BENNIt arises out of your answer.
§ Sir H. GREENWOODThe question refers to the "alleged wrecking by the police of many houses at Castlerea." I have said there was no such wrecking. I am endeavouring to assist the hon. Member to elucidate what I am sure he wants, the truth in reference to these allegations, and I have described to him some of the outrages in that part of the country in the month of August.
§ Mr. MacVEAGHThe right hon. Gentleman quoted an attack which was made, he said, by Sinn Feiners. My hon. Friend has asked a question. Can we have an answer? If the right hon. Gentleman knows this was done by Sinn Feiners has he prosecuted them?
§ Colonel ASHLEYIs it likely the Crown forces would attack a police barracks.
§ Sir H. GREENWOODI agree with the hon. and gallant Gentleman who has asked the last supplementary question. I have already said the police reported that the houses of four loyalist farmers were fired into on 23rd August by Sinn Feiners and their windows broken.
§ Sir H. GREENWOODThe hon. Member will share my regret that we have not yet been able to arrest them.
§ Mr. MacVEAGHHow do you know they were Sinn Feiners, when you do not know who they were?
§ 45. Mr. C. WHITEasked the Chief Secretary whether an inquiry has been held and any arrests made in connection with the sacking by police of Inniscarra, County Cork, on 2nd September last?
§ Sir H. GREENWOODA licensed house in Inniscarra was broken into and wrecked on 1st September last year. The occupant's wife alleged that the damage was committed by soldiers. The Commander-in-Chief informs me that this allegation was fully enquired into at the time, but no evidence was forthcoming on which any offenders could be traced and no arrests were made. I have no report of any destruction at Inniscarra on the date mentioned in the question.
67. Sir W. BARTONasked the Chief Secretary whether a Court of Inquiry has yet been held into the attack on four members of the staff of the "Cork Examiner" on 23rd May last; and, if so, what is its finding?
§ Sir H. GREENWOODOne of the four men subjected to this murderous attack at 3 a.m. on the 23rd May died some hours later, and the Court of Inquiry in lieu of inquest found that he was killed by a bomb thrown by some person unknown who was thereby guilty of wilful murder. I am informed that another member of the party was dangerously wounded. The "Cork Examiner" newspaper is under the Sinn Fein ban for some time owing to its efforts towards securing peace in Ireland. Some months ago an attempt was made to burn the office and wreck the machinery. The attack on the employés is part of the campaign to cripple the paper by frightening the employés from working. It was a most dastardly outrage on four inoffensive persons who were merely earning their livelihood and indicates the extent to which extremists are prepared to go. Portions of the bomb were found by the 581 police at the scene. It is of the familiar type of home-made Sinn Fein bombs. There were no persons about at the time of the explosion except the four mentioned and no particulars can be got from any other persons. The locality where the bomb was thrown is a bad one and a regular haunt of the Cork gunmen. It is receiving special attention from the police.
Mr. J. JONESIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that this paper was suppressed by himself in the early days of this campaign?
§ Sir H. GREENWOODNo, I am not aware of that. Further, I am not aware that the statement is true.
Mr. JONESIt is true, I am aware that it is true. The "Cork Examiner" was suspended. I was in Cork at the time.
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe hon. Gentleman is not entitled to make a statement.
§ Mr. T. P. O'CONNORI cannot recall whether it was during the time of the right hon. Gentleman or the time of his predecessor, but is it not a fact that this paper was suppressed?
§ Sir H. GREENWOODI want to be perfectly precise on this point. The allegation of the hon. Member for Silver-town in his supplementary question was that I had suppressed this paper—
§ Mr. SPEAKERAll this is irrelevant to the question on the Paper.
§ Mr. MacVEAGHWe can blame either you or Macpherson.