§ 76. Mr. McGOVERNasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is prepared to inquire into the case with a view to the release of the lay preachers who have been imprisoned for breach of by-laws in preaching the gospel on Glasgow Green?
Mr. W. ADAMSONI have made inquiries into this case and am informed that the facts are as follow: Four lay preachers were charged in Glasgow Central Police Court on 17th June with having contravened the Glasgow Public Parks By-laws by taking part in a meeting or demonstration without the written authority of the corporation or the Director of Parks. They pleaded guilty, and were fined £3 with the alternative of 20 days' imprisonment, 10 days being allowed for payment of the fine. On 21st June they again offended and appeared in Court on the following day, when three of them who admitted the offence charged were again fined £3 or 20 days' imprisonment, no time being allowed for payment in view of the recent previous conviction. The case against one of the four offenders, who pleaded "not guilty," was continued until 3rd July, and he is at present on 1466 bail. Another offender who appeared in Court on 22nd June for the first time was fined £3 or 20 days' imprisonment, 10 days being allowed for payment of the fine. I am in communication with the local authority with a view to ascertaining if there is any difficulty in the way of these persons getting permits to preach the gospel on Glasgow Green at any time they so desire.
§ Mr. McGOVERNIs he aware that these men, and others, have been refused permits at different times, and will he, in view of that, commute the rest of the sentence—a savage sentence—and release these men forthwith?
Mr. ADAMSONI have already stated that I am making inquiries and shall be in a position to reach a decision when the inquiry is completed.
§ Mr. MAXTONIs not the right hon. Gentleman aware that the power to release these men lies with him and not with the Glasgow Corporation; and, while he is making his inquiries, will he release these men, as it is a public disgrace that men should be punished in these days for preaching Christianity, or anything else?
§ Mr. GEORGE HARDIEWill the right hon. Gentleman, when he is dealing with the Glasgow Corporation or the authorities in Scotland which deal with the gentlemen now in prison, find out whether or not Glasgow's success was based upon letting Glasgow live and proceed by the preaching of the Word, and, if that is so, how is it that men can be imprisoned for preaching the Word?
§ Mr. MARJORIBANKSCannot we have an undertaking from the Lord Advocate on this matter?
§ Mr. McGOVERNIn view of the importance of this question, is the right hon. Gentleman prepared during the time that this discussion is taking place, to release these men and allow them freedom during that time—to release them at once?
Mr. ADAMSONI have already said, in reply to a supplementary question, that I am making inquiries, and as soon as the inquiries are completed I shall be in a position to answer.
§ Mr. MAXTONWe are not asking whether you are making inquiries, but whether you will let them out.
§ Mr. BUCHANANOn a point of Order. [Interruption.] Surely I am entitled to say that I intend, at the earliest possible moment, to raise this question, and I give the right hon. Gentleman notice of that fact?
§ Mr. McGOVERNOn a point of Order. The right hon. Gentleman has not replied to the demand for the release of these men. [Interruption.]
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe hon. Member has had a reply.
§ Mr. McGOVERNI want an answer to the question. Is he prepared to release these men at present in prison? [Interruption.] I want to know if he is prepared to release these men. He has not given that undertaking. [An HON. MEMBER: "Sit down!"] You need not tell me to sit down. I will sit down when I like. I want to ask the right hon. Gentleman if he will answer the question.
§ [HON. MEMBERS: "Name!"] I must press for an answer to that question. [Interruption.] I ask the right hon. Gentleman to answer that question. I must demand an answer to a question which is agitating the minds of the public of Glasgow at the present time. [HON. MEMBERS: "Name!"] I must press for an answer to the question. [HON. MEMBERS: "Sit down!"] I will not sit down. The question has not been answered. [Interruption.]
§ Mr. SPEAKERI must name the hon. Member for disregarding the Ruling of the Chair.
§ The PRIME MINISTERI beg to move, "That Mr. McGovern be suspended from the service of the House."
§ Mr. McGOVERNThat is about the only thing he can do.
§ Question put, "That Mr. McGovern be suspended from the service of the House."
§ The House divided: Ayes, 315; Noes, 16.
1469| Division No. 370.] | AYES. | [3.48 p.m. |
| Acland-Troyte, Lieut.-Colonel | Bullock, Captain Malcolm | Denman, Hon. R. D. |
| Adamson, Rt. Hon. W. (Fife, West) | Burgess, F. G. | Dugdale, Capt. T. L. |
| Adamson, W. M. (Staff., Cannock) | Butler, R. A. | Dukes, C. |
| Addison, Rt. Hon. Dr. Christopher | Buxton, C. R. (Yorks, W. R. Elland) | Duncan, Charles |
| Aitchison, Rt. Hon. Craigle M. | Cadogan, Major Hon. Edward | Ede, James Chuter |
| Alexander, Rt. Hon. A. V. (Hillsbro') | Campbell, E. T. | Eden, Captain Anthony |
| Allen, Sir J. Sandeman (Liverp'l., W.) | Cape, Thomas | Edmunds, J. E. |
| Alpass, J. H. | Carter, W. (St. Pancras, S. W.) | Elliot, Major Walter E. |
| Ammon, Charles George | Castle Stewart, Earl of | Elmley, Viscount |
| Arnott, John | Cautley, Sir Henry S. | Erskine, Lord (Somerset, Weston-s-M.) |
| Ashley, Lt.-Col. Rt. Hon. Wilfrid W. | Cazalet, Captain Victor A. | Everard, W. Lindsay |
| Attlee, Clement Richard | Chamberlain Rt. Hn. Sir J. A. (Birm., W.) | Ferguson, Sir John |
| Ayles, Walter | Chamberlain, Rt. Hon. N. (Edgbaston) | Foot, Isaac |
| Baker, John (Wolverhampton, Bilston) | Charleton, H. C. | Forestler-Walker, Sir L. |
| Baldwin, Rt. Hon. Stanley (Bewdley) | Chater, Daniel | Frece, Sir Walter de |
| Balfour, Captain H. H. (I. of Thanet) | Christle, J. A. | Fremantle, Lieut.-Colonel Francis E. |
| Barnes, Alfred John | Churchill, Rt. Hon. Winston Spencer | Gardner, B. W. (West Ham, Upton) |
| Barr, James | Clarke, J. S. | George, Rt. Hon. D. Lloyd (Car'vn) |
| Bellairs, Commander Carlyon | Cluse, W. S. | George, Major G. Lloyd (Pembroke) |
| Benn, Rt. Hon. Wedgwood | Clydesdale, Marquess of | Gibbins, Joseph |
| Bennett, Sir E. N. (Cardiff, Central) | Cobb, Sir Cyril | Gibson, H. M. (Lancs, Mossley) |
| Bennett, William (Battersea, South) | Colfox, Major William Philip | Gill, T. H. |
| Benson, G. | Colville, Major D. J. | Gillett, George M. |
| Blindell, James | Compton, Joseph | Glassey, A. E. |
| Bondfield, Rt. Hon. Margaret | Conway, Sir W. Martin | Glyn, Major R. G. C. |
| Bourne, Captain Robert Croft | Cooper, A. Duff | Gossling, A. G. |
| Bowater, Col. Sir T. Vansittart | Courthope, Colonel Sir G. L. | Gould, F. |
| Bowerman, Rt. Hon. Charles W. | Cranborne, Viscount | Graham, Rt. Hon. Wm. (Edin., Cent.) |
| Bowyer, Captain Sir George E. W. | Cripps, Sir Stafford | Grattan-Doyle, Sir N. |
| Boyce, Leslie | Croft, Brigadier-General Sir H. | Gray, Milner |
| Braithwaite, Major A. N. | Culverwell, C. T. (Bristol, West) | Greenwood, Rt. Hon. A. (Colne) |
| Briscoe, Richard George | Cunliffe-Lister, Rt. Hon. Sir Philip | Grenfell, D. R. (Glamorgan) |
| Broad, Francis Alfred | Daggar, George | Gretton, Colonel Rt. Hon. John |
| Broadbent, Colonel J. | Dalrymple-White, Lt.-Col. Sir Godfrey | Griffith, F. Kingsley (Middlesbro' W.) |
| Bromfield, William | Dalton, Hugh | Groves, Thomas E. |
| Brothers, M. | Davidson, Rt. Hon. J. (Hertford) | Grundy, Thomas W. |
| Brown, Ernest (Leith) | Davies, D. L. (Pontypridd) | Gunston, Captain D. W. |
| Brown, Brig.-Gen. H. C. (Berks, Newb'y) | Davies, Maj. Geo. F. (Somerset, Yeovil) | Hall, Lieut.-Col. Sir F. (Dulwich) |
| Brown, Rt. Hon. J. (South Ayrshire) | Davies, Rhys John (Westhoughton) | Hall, G. H. (Merthyr Tydvil) |
| Buchan, John | Davison, Sir W. H. (Kensington, S.) | Hall, Capt. W. G. (Portsmouth, C.) |
| Buchan-Hepburn, P. G. T. | Day, Harry | Hamilton, Mary Agnes (Blackburn) |
| Hamilton, Sir R. (Orkney & Zetland) | Mathers, George | Smith, Frank (Nuneaton) |
| Hammersley, S. S. | Millar, J. D. | Smith, Lees-, Rt. Hon. H. B. (Keighley) |
| Hannon, Patrick Joseph Henry | Milne, Wardlaw-, J. S. | Smith, Rennle (Penistone) |
| Hartington, Marquess of | Milner, Major J. | Smith, Tom (Pontefract) |
| Harvey, Major S. E. (Devon, Totnes) | Monsell, Eyres, Com. Rt. Hon. Sir B. | Smith, W. R. (Norwich) |
| Haslam, Henry C. | Montague, Frederick | Smith-Carington, Neville W. |
| Hayday, Arthur | Morley, Ralph | Smithers, Waldron |
| Henderson, Right Hon. A, (Burnley) | Morrison, Robert C. (Tottenham, N.) | Snowden, Rt. Hon. Philip |
| Henderson, Capt. R. R. (Oxf'd, Henley) | Muff, G. | Snowden, Thomas (Accrington) |
| Henderson, Thomas (Glasgow) | Muirhead, A. J. | Somerville, A. A. (Windsor) |
| Henderson, W. W. (Middx., Enfield) | Murnin, Hugh | Southby, Commander A. R. J. |
| Hennessy, Major Sir G. R. J. | Nali-Cain, A. R. N. | Spender-Clay, Colonel H. |
| Herriotts, J. | Naylor, T. E. | Stamford, Thomas W. |
| Hirst, G. H. (York W. R. Wentworth) | Newton, Sir D. G. C. (Cambridge) | Stanley, Lord (Fylde) |
| Hirst, W. (Bradford, South) | Nicholson, Col. Rt. Hn. W. G. (Ptrsf'ld) | Steel-Maitland, Rt. Hon. Sir Arthur |
| Hoare, Lt.-Col. Rt. Hon. Sir S. J. G. | Noel Buxton, Baroness (Norfolk, N.) | Strauss, G. R. |
| Hollins, A. | Oliver, P. M. (Man., Blackley) | Sueter, Rear-Admiral M. F. |
| Hope, Sir Harry (Forfar) | Oman, Sir Charles William C. | Sutton, J. E. |
| Hopkin, Daniel | Owen, Major G. (Carnarvon) | Taylor, Vice-Admiral E. A. |
| Howard-Bury, Colonel C. K. | Palin, John Henry | Taylor, R. A. (Lincoln) |
| Hudson, Capt. A. U. M. (Hackney, N.) | Paling, Wilfrid | Thomas, Rt. Hon. J. H. (Derby) |
| Hudson, James H. (Huddersfield) | Palmer, E. T. | Thompson, Luke |
| Hurd, Percy A | Parkinson, John Allen (Wigan) | Thomson, Sir F. |
| Isaacs, George | Penny, Sir George | Thomson, Mitchell-, Rt. Hon. Sir W. |
| Jones, Rt. Hon Lalf (Camborne) | Perry, S. F. | Thurtle, Ernest |
| Jones, Morgan (Caerphilly) | Pethick-Lawrence, F. W. | Tiliett, Ben |
| Jowitt, Rt. Hon. Sir W. A. (Preston) | Peto, Sir Basil E. (Devon, Barnstaple) | Tinker, John Joseph |
| Kennedy, Rt. Hon. Thomas | Phillips, Dr. Marlon | Titchfield, Major the Marquess of |
| Knight, Holford | Pole, Major D. G. | Tout, W. J. |
| Lamb, Sir J. Q. | Potts, John S. | Townend, A. E. |
| Lambert, Rt. Hon. George (S. Molton) | Pownall, Sir Assheton | Train, J. |
| Lang, Gordon | Price, M. P. | Vaughan, David |
| Lansbury, Rt. Hon. George | Pybus, Percy John | Viant, S. P. |
| Latham, H. P. (Scarboro' & Whitby) | Ramsay, T. B. Wilson | Walkden, A. G. |
| Lathan, G. (Sheffield, Park) | Ramsbotham, H. | Walker, J. |
| Law, Sir Alfred (Derby, High Peak) | Rawson, Sir Cooper | Wallace, Capt. D. E (Hornsey) |
| Law, Albert (Bolton) | Raynes, W. R. | Ward, Lieut.-Col. Sir A. Lambert |
| Law, A. (Rossendale) | Remer, John R. | Warrender, Sir Victor |
| Lawrence, Susan | Reynolds, Col. Sir James | Watkins, F. C. |
| Leach, W. | Richardson, R. (Houghton-le-Spring) | Welsh, James (Paisley) |
| Lee, Frank (Derby, N. E.) | Roberts, Rt. Hon. F. O. (W. Bromwich) | Welsh, James C. (Coatbridge) |
| Leighton, Major B. E. P. | Rodd, Rt. Hon. Sir James Rennell | Westwood, Joseph |
| Lewis, Oswald (Colchester) | Romeril, H. G. | White, H. G. |
| Locker-Lampson, Rt. Hon. Godfrey | Rosbotham, D. S. T. | Whiteley, Wilfrid (Birm., Ladywood) |
| Locker-Lampson, Com. O. (Handsw'th) | Salter, Dr. Alfred | Whiteley, William (Blaydon) |
| Lockwood, Captain J. H. | Samuel, A. M. (Surrey, Farnham) | Williams, Charles (Devon, Torquay) |
| Long, Major Hon. Eric | Samuel, Rt. Hon. Sir H. (Darwen) | Williams, David (Swansea, East) |
| Longbottom, A. W. | Sandeman, Sir N. Stewart | Williams, E. J. (Ogmore) |
| Lunn, William | Sanders, W. S. | Williams, Dr. J. H. (Llanelly) |
| Macdonald, Gordon (Ince) | Savery, S. S. | Williams, T. (York, Don Valley) |
| Mac Donald, Rt. Hon. J. R. (Seaham) | Sawyer, G. F. | Wilson, C. H. (Sheffield, Attercliffe) |
| MacDonald, Malcolm (Bassetlaw) | Scott, James | Wilson, G. H. A. (Cambridge U.) |
| Macdonald, Capt. P. D. (I. of W.) | Shaw, Rt. Hon. Thomas (Preston) | Wilson, J. (Oldham) |
| McElwee, A. | Shepperson, Sir Ernest Whittome | Wilson, R. J. (Jarrow) |
| McEntee, V. L. | Sherwood, G. H. | Windsor-Clive, Lieut.-Colonel George |
| MacNeill-Weir, L. | Shield, George William | Winterton, Rt. Hon. Earl |
| Maitland, A. (Kent, Faversham) | Shiels, Dr. Drummond | Wolmer, Rt. Hon. Viscount |
| Makins, Brigadier-General E. | Shillaker, J. F. | Womersley, W. J. |
| Malone, C. L.'Estrange (N'thampton) | Shinwell, E. | Wood, Rt. Hon. Sir Kingsley |
| Mander, Geoffrey le M. | Short, Alfred (Wednesbury) | Wood, Major McKenzie (Banff) |
| Mansfield, W. | Sinclair, Sir A. (Caithness) | Wright, Brig.-Gen. W. D. (Tavlst'k) |
| Margesson, Captain H. D. | Sinkinson, George | Young, Rt. Hon. Sir Hilton |
| Marjorlbanks, Edward | Sitch, Charles H. | |
| Markham, S. F. | Skelton, A. N. | TELLERS FOR THE AYES.— |
| Marshall, Fred | Smith, Ben (Bermondsey, Rotherhithe) | Mr. Hayes and Mr. Charles Edwards. |
| NOES. | ||
| Baldwin, Oliver (Dudley) | Gardner, J. P. (Hammersmith, N.) | Maxton, James |
| Beckett, John (Camberwell, Peckham) | Hardie, G. D. (Springburn) | Sandham, E. |
| Bevan, Aneurin (Ebbw Vale) | Kedward, R. M. (Kent, Ashtord) | Simmons, C. J. |
| Brockway, A. Fenner | Kelly, W. T. | Stephen, Campbell |
| Brooke, W. | Kirkwood, D. | |
| Dudgeon, Major C. R. | Lee, Jennie (Lanark, Northern) | TELLERS FOR THE NOES.— |
| Mr. Buchanan and Mr. Kinley. |
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe hon. Member for Shettleston must leave the House forthwith.
§ The hon. Member refused to withdraw.
§ Mr. SPEAKERthen directed the SERJEANT-AT-ARMS to cause Mr. MCGOVERN 1470 to be removed from the House, and stated that grave disorder having arisen he suspended the Sitting of the House till a quarter-past Four.
§ The hon. Member was then removed by force.
1471§ Sitting suspended at Two Minutes be-fore Four of the Clock.
§ MR. SPEAKER resumed the Chair at Seventeen Minutes after Four o'Clock.
§ Mr. SPEAKERI have to inform the House that recourse to force having been necessary to remove the hon. Member for Shettleston he is therefore suspended from the service of the House for the remainder of the Session.