§ Mr. A. HERBERTasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if, in view of the fact that his statement that the Black and Tans are a disciplined force and the upholders of law and order is not accepted by the Press of many countries hitherto friendly to us, and that this disbelief is calculated to diminish our prestige, he will consequently appoint an impartial inquiry to investigate the alleged outrages of the forces of the Crown in Ireland?
§ Sir H. GREENWOODThe answer is in the negative.
§ Mr. MOSLEYasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he has any information concerning the identity of the two armed and masked men who killed a man named M. Whellan and wounded his father-in-law, who interfered on his behalf, after breaking into licensed premises in the village of Ballyroan on 29th December last; whether he has any information concerning the identity of the armed men who assassinated a man named Lawless in his home at Maryborough on 22nd January last; whether this man had served four and a half years in France: whether random shots were discharged from two police lorries in the village of Lixnaw on the 3rd of January last, as a result of which a man named Michael M'Auliffe was wounded and subsequently died, whether there was any reason for these shots; and whether the victim was guilty of any offence against the law?
§ Sir H. GREENWOODTwo constables of the Royal Irish Constabulary were arrested in connection with the death of M. Whellan, and one is at present awaiting trial for murder. The other constable escaped from military custody and has not yet been re-arrested. Another constable is awaiting trial for the murder of Mr. Lawless. As these cases are nowsub judice, I am unable to make any further statement with regard to them at present. I have not yet received the report of the Court of Inquiry into the death of Michael McAuliffe, but, according to a police report which I have re- 774W ceived, this man died on the 10th January last from the effects of wounds which were not sustained in the manner described in the hon. Member's question, but were sustained in an ambush of a party of police at Causeway, County Kerry, on the 10th November.
§ Mr. DEVLINasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether his attention has been called to the murder of Alderman Thomas Halpin and Mr. John Meran, two highly respected citizens of Drogheda; whether these men were taken from their houses on the night of Tuesday, 8th February, by armed men, speaking with an English accent, and were brought to a lonely road outside the town, where they were shot dead; and whether he will institute a full and searching public inquiry into the circumstances with a view to bringing the murderers to justice?
§ Sir H. GREENWOODI am at present awaiting the report of the Court of Inquiry into the deaths of these men, and am therefore not yet in a position to deal with the hon. Member's question. I have asked for the Court of Inquiry report to be expedited.
§ Mr. DEVLINasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether his attention has been called to the burning and destruction of 11 houses in the village of Abbeydorney, County Kerry, on the night of Wednesday, 9th February, following the wounding of a policeman; whether the residents were turned out of their houses, many of them only in night attire, and forced to flee into the country for safety; and what steps he proposes to take to bring the offenders to justice?
§ Sir H. GREENWOODInquiry is at present being made into the alleged connection of certain members of the Crown forces with these burnings, but I regret that I am not yet in a position to make any further statement in this matter.
§ Mr. DEVLINasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether his attention has been called to the mysterious shooting of Messrs. Patrick Kennedy and James Murphy, at Drumcondra, Dublin, on the night of Wednesday, 9th February; whether these two young men were arrested by Auxiliary forces in Talbot Street and taken to Dublin Castle, nothing more being heard of them until after 11 o'clock that night a police- 775W man discovered them lying inside a wall at Clonturk Park, Drumcondra, Kennedy being dead and Murphy suffering from wounds to which he has since succumbed; whether in an official statement issued from Dublin Castle it was stated that these men had been discharged from the Castle, after inquiry, at 9.45 p.m. that night and told to go home; whether this statement is at distinct variance with the evidence of a number of parties who stated positively that the men were not arrested in Talbot Street until that hour; and whether he will institute a full public inquiry into all the circumstances in connection with this affair?
§ Sir H. GREENWOODYes, Sir, immediately after this event an inquiry was instituted. Two members of the Auxiliry Division and one other person have been arrested and will be charged with murder.