§ 76. Viscount CURZONasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware of the atrocities committed 25 upon helpless members of the Royal Irish Constabulary in St. Bride's Home, in Galway; and whether he can state whether the Government propose to take any steps to give protection to their servants and to the loyalists in Southern Ireland, and to take any steps to put a stop to such outrages?
77. Sir F. HALLasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he can give the House any information with regard to the murder in St. Bride's Home Hospital, Galway, on Wednesday, the 15th March, of Sergeants Gibbons and Gilmartin, of the Royal Irish Constabulary; and if he will state what steps the Government propose to take, beyond the exchange of friendly communications with the Provisional Government, to ensure the punishment of the murderers?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLI will answer these two questions, and a question of which the hon. Member for Kensington South (Sir W. Davison) has given me private notice, together. I have as yet no information as to the circumstances of these terrible and atrocious murders beyond that which has already appeared in the public Press. The two sergeants and Cassidy were deliberately shot dead in bed by four masked men. Both sergeants were seriously ill at the time, and one of them was not expected to recover, while Cassidy was suffering from wounds inflicted upon him a short time previously by unknown men. All three were powerless to offer any resistance. The coroner's jury found a verdict of wilful murder by persons unknown, and expressed sympathy with the relatives of the victims. This exhibition of savagery has aroused universal horror and indignation in the neighbourhood, and, indeed, I believe, throughout the greater part of Ireland, and it has been condemned in the very strongest terms by the Bishop of the diocese and by the local clergy in sermons preached on St. Patrick's Day. The Provisional Government, I am assured, are making every endeavour to trace and apprehend the criminals, and in this they are receiving support and assistance from the inhabitants of the district; but I regret that it has not yet been possible to make any arrests. I need hardly add that all information in the possession of the police and the British authorities has been placed at the disposal of the Provisional 26 Government, but it does not at the moment appear that there is any further assistance which can be rendered to them.
§ Viscount CURZONCan the right hon. Gentleman give an answer to the last sentence of my Question No. 76?
§ Sir W. DAVISONWill the right hon. Gentleman also answer that part of my question in which I ask what steps the British Government are taking to prevent the recurrence of such outrages, and protect the lives and property of forces of the Crown and law-abiding citizens in Southern Ireland?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLWe are endeavouring to consolidate and secure the authority of the Provisional Government and to afford it legal sanction, and to equip it with the means of enforcing its authority in all parts of the country.
§ Viscount CURZONAre we to understand that the Government have now abandoned all their servants and these loyalists in this area?
§ Sir W. DAVISONIs there any precedent for a great nation such as this abandoning the government of a country for which they have for years been responsible, before another Government is in a position to take it over?
§ Mr. SPEAKERWe must not have a Debate on the matter.