§ 25. Captain Viscount CURZONasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is now in a position to make any further statement as to the murders of Lieutenant Genochio, Royal Engineers, Lieutenant Meade, Royal Army Service Corps, and Quartermaster-Sergeant Cunliffe; whether, in the latter case, these soldiers were armed; whether there is any news of the murderers; and whether the Irish Provisional Government have made any further communication with respect to these atrocities?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLI regret that I am not yet in a position to make any further statement with regard to the case of Lieutenant Genochio except that the Provisional Government now suggest that case should be investigated by a Commission consisting of a British officer and a person nominated by them. Two persons have been arrested by the authority of the Provisional Government on suspicion in connection with the murders of Lieutenant Meade and Quartermaster-Sergeant Cunliffe, and further investigation as to their guilt will be proceeded with according to law. In regard to the remainder of the question, I would refer the Noble Lord to the reply I gave him on Tuesday of last week.
§ Viscount CURZONWill the right hon. Gentleman accede to the request of the Provisional Government to set up a Commission upon the death of Lieutenant Genochio? Is he aware that the Cork coroner's jury refused to attend at the barracks to hold an inquest on Lieutenant Genochio, and the inquest had to be held by the military instead?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLI am quite aware of that. I must ask for notice of the first part of the question.
§ Colonel ASHLEYWill this proposed Commission have power to compel the 1053 attendance of witnesses and to administer the oath? Will it be a legal body? What legal foundation will it have?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLI have given all the information I can on the subject, and I am not prepared to add to it.
§ Colonel ASHLEYThe right hon. Gentleman says he is going to appoint a Commission. Surely I am entitled to ask if it will have any legal status.
§ Mr. CHURCHILLI did not say I was going to appoint a Commission. I said that the Provisional Government had suggested that course. I have not yet answered it.
§ Viscount CURZONWill the right hon. Gentleman say whether or not he will appoint the Commission?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLI could quite definitely, but at the present moment I am not prepared to make that statement.
§ Mr. RAWLINSONWill the people arrested for the murders of Lieutenant Meade and Quartermaster-Sergeant Cunliffe be proceeded against according to law? What tribunal has power to try them?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLFor common criminals in Ireland the existing tribunals are working, and magistrates are to a large extent sitting. There are a number of persons in various prisons in Ireland arrested for various forms of crime, and they will be proceeded with according to law.
§ Mr. RAWLINSONWill they be indicted before the Assizes as if they were ordinary murderers?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLCertainly.