§ Mr. O'SHAUGHNESSYasked the Home Secretary for what reason three of the Irish prisoners were removed from Dartmoor to Maidstone Prison; whether they are receiving the same treatment at Maidstone as at Dartmoor; are they allowed to have any intercourse with each other; are they kept apart from ordinary prisoners; whether they can receive visits from their friends; and have they permission to write and receive letters?
Mr. SAMUELThese prisoners were removed for disciplinary reasons. They are treated at Maidstone under the same rules as at Dartmoor. Maidstone is a prison for first offenders, called "Star Class." The prisoners referred to are not classed by themselves, but when at labour in the printing shop they associate with other "Star Class" prisoners. So long as they remain under the ordinary conditions of penal servitude, they are subject to the ordinary rules as to letters and visits, but I propose that these men should be transferred to a special prison with the rest of the Irish prisoners in accordance with the arrangement which I have already announced.
§ Mr. BYRNEasked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that from time to time several men interned as prisoners of hostile associations at Frongoch Camp have been arrested in the camp as absentees under the Military Service Acts; that these men were actually engaged in the Easter rising and surrendered with their comrades in the general surrender; that 300 prisoners were punished by the commandant for declining to co-operate with the authorities to identify certain of these men by being placed in an unfit camp; that, as a result, they declared a hunger strike; that they were told that if they took their food they would be returned to the North Camp and that the matter would end there, and that the prisoners acted upon this pledge, but that, after this, an armed detachment, in addition to the usual military guard, arrived, and the prisoners were ordered into their huts under an armed guard; is he aware that the commandant then addressed the hut leaders, acknowledging their general good discipline, but pointing out their recent grave misdemeanour, and that, following the commandant's threat to allow them to 1635W die of starvation if they refused their rations, 342 of the prisoners refused to answer their names and numbers, and that the whole of the 342 were again confined to the South Camp; whether he is aware that the prisoners believed that the commandant at Frongoch is endeavouring to goad them into revolt, so as to have an excuse for shooting them down; and, seeing that the commandant's conduct has been the cause of the disorder, will he take steps to have him transferred to some other post?
Mr. SAMUELWith regard to the first three parts of the question I would refer the hon. Member to the statements I made to him and to the hon. Member for East Mayo in this House on 16th November. The South Camp is not in any sense an "unfit" camp. The prisoners transferred to it were punished for refusing to answer to their names at the roll call and not on the grounds alleged by the hon. Member. With regard to a hunger strike, I am informed that 198 men so transferred fasted for thirty-eight hours and were then moved back to the North Camp on the advice of the medical officer; but no sort of bargain was made with them by the commandant. The hut leaders were warned by the commandant that they would place themselves in a very serious position if they and their men refused to answer their names, but the statement that he threatened them in the manner suggested in the question is untrue. The answer to the last two parts of the question is in the negative.
§ Mr. BYRNEasked why, since 1,300 Irish prisoners were released unconditionally, the remainder are asked to sign a guarantee; and whether the remainder will be released on the same terms?
Mr. SAMUELThe Irish prisoners who were released unconditionally were liberated on the recommendation of the Advisory Committee that their internment was no longer necessary in the interests of the public safety. The Committee advised that the rest should remain interned, and with regard to their release I would refer to the answer I gave in this House on 10th October to the hon. Member for North Galway.