§ Mr. GINNELLasked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether the Dublin newspaper called "Scissors and Paste," suppressed by the military authorities without warning, consisted entirely of extracts from other newspapers, mostly British, and all circulating freely in Britain; whether, in all other cases of suppression or restriction of the Press in Ireland, the military authorities gave previous notice, and had an undertaking from the printer of this paper that he would print nothing considered objectionable; whether he will specify the matter in respect of which the paper has been suppressed, the paper from which it was extracted, and what action is to be taken against that paper; whether any other incriminatory matter was found on the premises; and, if an offence under the Defence 1424W of the Realm Act is alleged, why those responsible are not given the benefit of such trial as that Act provides?
§ Mr. TENNANT"Scissors and Paste" was a sheet consisting of cuttings from papers selected for their derogatory references to the cause or military operations of the Allies and for their praise of the methods and successes of the enemy. All the copies of the paper, as well as the printing plant, were seized on the 2nd instant. I am not aware that any further step such as is mentioned in the last part of the question is necessary or is contemplated.
§ Mr. GINNELLasked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether the military authorities have informed the editor of the "Irish Volunteer" what they have done to prevent the circulation of that newspaper; what action, amounting in effect to suppression, has been taken; having regard to the character of the paper, will he specify the part or feature in it to which, objection has been taken; under what provision of the Defence of the Realm Act are those responsible being punished before trial; and seeing that delay of trial would destroy the paper for an alleged cause which a trial might show to be unfounded, can he say how soon the charge against the paper will be tried?
§ Mr. TENNANTI cannot find that any action against the "Irish Volunteer" itself can be traced, but I am informed that it did not appear last week owing to a raid on the printing works where this paper, in common, I think, with the "Irish Worker" and other papers, is printed. The editor may, of course, have been warned of the existence of the Defence of the Realm Act and the regulations made under it, and against printing anything contravening those regulations, and the editor may have considered it wiser to suspend its issue.