§ Mr. GINNELLasked the Secretary of State for War whether the letter, containing a postal order and stamps, posted in Dublin on 17th June, in care of the Censor, to Michael Murphy, Wandsworth Prison, and not delivered up to 5th July, has yet been delivered; what is the cause of this delay; why has the letter complaining of it to a Member of this House been delayed; and whether these untried prisoners will be released, tried, or treated as untried prisoners are entitled to be treated?
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§ Mr. FORSTERI cannot answer the first two parts of this question until I have made inquiry, nor does the question give sufficient data in regard to the letter of complaint to enable me to make any statement. The fourth part of the question has been answered on previous occasions.
§ Mr. OUTHWAITEasked how many Irishmen are now imprisoned in Great Britain on suspicion of having been concerned in the rebellion; how many have been recently released; and for how long, approximately, they had been in prison?
Mr. SAMUELI stated on the 10th July, in reply to questions addressed to me by the hon. Members for North Sal-ford and West Islington, that between 1,800 and 1,900 prisoners are interned in connection with the Irish rising. They have been in custody since the rising took place. As regards releases, I beg to refer to the statement I made yesterday in answer to the hon. Member for the St. Patrick's Division.
§ Mr. LOUGHasked the Home Secretary whether his attention has been drawn to the case of Mr. James N. Dolan, late of Manorhamilton, in Ireland, who was first detained at Woking and now sent to Frongoch; whether he has received letters from various Members of Parliament, the parish priest, and leading townsmen of his district with regard to this gentleman; whether his case has been examined by the Committee; and, if so, what decision has been arrived at?
Mr. SAMUELI have not received any such letters. The case is now under consideration by the Advisory Committee.
§ Mr. FARRELLasked how many letters per week prisoners in internment camps are allowed to get; and, seeing that whilst in prison in England much greater liberty was allowed them than in these camps, why those liberties should not now be also allowed?
Mr. SAMUELNo restriction has been placed on the number of letters which prisoners in internment camps are allowed to receive. They must, however, be mode-rate in length, and if they were excessive in number a limit would have to be fixed. The second part of the question does not arise.
§ Mr. FFRENCHasked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that Marks 551W McGrath, Ballywilliam, was arrested immediately after the Sinn Fein outbreak, and is now a prisoner in Frongoch, although he took no part in the rising, and was quietly engaged on his mother's farm when arrested; whether he is aware that Marks McGrath had no firearms in the house; that he was never up for a breach of the peace, and is a young man of exemplary character; that his only crime seems to be that he marched with the Sinn Fein volunteers on some occasions; and, as he is devoted to the business of his mother's farm, where his services are very much needed, will he see that this young man is allowed to return home?
Mr. SAMUELThis case is under consideration by the Advisory Committee, who will have these points before them.
§ Mr. GINNELLasked the Home Secretary if he will state the names of any Irish prisoners of war transferred to the penitential internment camp at Reading; whether the only reason for this transfer is their interest in the Irish language, literature, music, and industries; whether all interested in these subjects are to be sent for special punishment to Reading; if there be any other offence or reason will he specify it; whether the men sent to Reading are to be isolated from each other; in what other respects the treatment differs from that at Frongoch; and whether the duration of their internment is unlimited, or will end when their classes and other Gaelic enterprises in Ireland are deemed to have been destroyed?
Mr. SAMUELTwenty-seven Irish prisoners have been transferred to the place of internment at Reading. It would be contrary to practice to give lists of the prisoners interned in particular places in answer to Parliamentary questions. Their internment has nothing to do with the matters mentioned in the question, but arises out of their connection with the recent troubles in Ire-land. They are not isolated but live in association. Their treatment is similar to that of prisoners at Frongoch. I cannot say how long they will be detained, but their cases will be considered by the Advisory Committee.