§ Major GLYNasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether inquiries have been made by His Majesty's Government as to why the local French authorities refused to allow a British subject, Mr. Macnamara, to communicate with the British Vice-Consul at Sousse when he was thrown into a native prison at Gabes; why the French authorities did not communicate with the British Consul; from what source did the Consul-General at Tunis hear of the arrest and imprisonment of this subject; whether His Majesty's Government have protested to the French authorities in regard to the treatment this British subject has received; and what steps have been taken to inquire into the circumstances as to why the British Consular Agent, a Maltese subject, resident in Gabes, took no action in informing his superior authority of the circumstances of Mr. Macnamara's position?
§ Sir A. CHAMBERLAINAccording to my information, Mr. Macnamara was not refused permission to communicate with the British consular authorities. He was advised by the prison authorities that it would be better for him if he did not do so. A letter which he did write to the British Vice-Consul at Sousse on the ninth day of his imprisonment does not appear to have reached its destination. His Majesty's Consul-General has already pointed out to the French authorities that they should have communicated with him. Mr. Macnamara's arrest and imprisonment were first brought to Mr. Macleod's notice by a telephone message from Major Richardson Cox on the evening of the 23rd February. The House has already been informed that representations in regard to this case have been made to the French Government in Paris as well as to their authorities in Tunis. The British Consular Agent at Gabes was not, to my knowledge, aware of Mr. Macnamara's imprisonment until after he had been admitted to bail.
§ Major GLYNasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what action has been taken in regard to a British subject, Mr. Macnamara, who was recently kept 1224W 15 days in an Arab prison at Gabes on a charge of espionage, which was never proved against him: and whether representations will be made by His Majesty's Government to the French authorities that, under such circumstances, a British subject must be removed to the nearest European prison and not confined in a common cell with 30 Arabs suffering from various diseases, and given nothing but native food during the period of his incarceration?
§ Sir A. CHAMBERLAINI have already informed my hon. and gallant Friend in reply to another question on this subject that representations have been made to the French Government in Paris and to the local authorities in Tunis in regard to the treatment of Mr. Macnamara.