11. Mr. WILSONalso asked the Home Secretary whether it was by his instructions that the meeting at Swallow-nest, which is two miles to the east of Woodhouse and one mile beyond the city boundary, and the meeting at Halfway, which is two miles south of Woodhouse and one mile beyond the city boundary, were both banned on 14th November, whereas a meeting at Woodhouse, which is one mile within the Sheffield city boundary, was not banned?
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSThe meeting at Halfway was prohibited by the Chief Constable of Derbyshire under the general authority given by me on the 19th October in pursuance of No. 22 of the Emergency Regulations. As regards the other two meetings I would refer to my reply to the hon. Member for the Rother Valley on the 22nd instant.
§ 13. Mr. OLIVERasked the Home Secretary whether it was under his instructions that the step was taken of refusing to allow Mr. V. Williams, a member of the Derbyshire Miners' Association, to address a meeting of miners at Ripley, Derbyshire, on 17th November or thereabouts; and, in view of Mr. Williams' good record during the dispute and the number of miners' meetings he has addressed without any complaint from the police, he will state the reason for this prohibition?
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSAs I stated on the 22nd instant in a reply to a question by the hon. Member for North-East Derbyshire, I have issued no specific instructions in regard to Vincent Williams. Action has been taken by the Chief Constable under the general authority granted by me on the 19th October in pursuance of No. 22 of the Emergency Regulations.
§ Mr. OLIVERWill the right hon. Gentleman say why this man was prohibited from speaking at this particular meeting when his record is such as would warrant him being allowed to speak?
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSI am not quite sure whether the hon. Member is aware of the record of Mr. Vincent Williams.
§ Mr. OLIVERYes, I am.
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSHe was prosecuted in May during the General Strike for issuing one of those lying bulletins, which are w e11 known to hon. Members, and he was convicted and sent to prison for it.
§ Mr. OLIVERMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether the issuing of a bulletin during the General Strike is any justification for prohibiting this man from speaking on the miners' dispute at a miners' meeting, he being a member of the miners' association?
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSIt depends entirely upon the circumstances. I do not mind telling the hon. Member that the bulletin was one stating that the Welsh Guards had mutinied.
§ Mr. OLIVERDoes the right hon. Gentleman know that Mr. Williams had spoken probably at 100 meetings, and why should ha be prohibited from speaking at the 101st meeting?
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSThat may be so, but I do not know. Perhaps the authority responsible in the 100 meetings was not quite certain of the identity of this gentleman, but it so happens that he fell in with a chief constable who was very much up to the mark.
§ Mr. STEPHENIs it not the case that this man was prohibited from addressing this meeting because of instructions from the Conservative Association in the district?
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSCertainly not.
§ Mr. LEEIs the Home Secretary aware that the 100 meetings this man addressed have all been in one area where he is fairly well known to the police round about where he lives, and there has been no prohibition or record of anything against him?
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSI can only repeat what I have said, that the particular chief constable who was responsible, with a full knowledge of the facts, came to the conclusion that it was not desirable to allow this meeting to take place.
§ 8. Mr. HAYES (for Mr. J. H. THOMAS)asked the Home Secretary whether it was on his instructions or with his knowledge that a Mr. H. Pollitt was 517 prohibited by the local Chief Constable from addressing a public meeting in Derby on Sunday, 21st November, 1926; and whether he will state the grounds for such action?
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSThis meeting was prohibited by the Chief Constable of Derby under the general authority given by me on the 19th October, in pursuance of No. 22 of the Emergency Regulations. Mr. Pollitt was one of the speakers advertised by the Communist party to take part in their intensive campaign to prevent the miners from returning to work.