§ Mr. W. CARTERasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether, on 4th February, a party of Crown forces surrounded a number at Kilbrittain, County Cork, commandeered the residents, and compelled them to destroy the shops owned by Mr. Patrick Crowley, and to level with the ground the ruins of the business premises of Mr. Simon Mac-Carthy which had been burned by constabulary a fortnight previously; whether Mr. Patrick Crowley, junior, who endeavoured to escape from the Crown forces who wished him to assist in the destruction of his father's shop, was shot dead; and whether the Crown forces on this occasion acted with or without the authority of the general officer commanding in the district?
§ Sir H. GREENWOODI am informed that in consequence of continued attacks on the constabulary barrack at Kilbrittan no less than three attacks having been made in the month of January, the Military Governor at Cork directed that the shop owned by Patrick Crowley next the barrack, and the public-house of Simon MacCarthy opposite the barrack to be levelled to the ground, and to carry out this operation the help of local labour in the village had to be procured. Mac-Carthy's house had been burned during one of these attacks on the barrack, on which occasion the barrack had been bombed and fired at from it. Patrick Crowley, junior, was not shot while endeavouring to avoid assisting in the destruction of his father's house. He was shot at Maryborough, about three-and-a-half miles from Kilbrittan on the same day in endeavouring to escape arrest and after being called upon several times to halt.
§ Mr. DEVLINasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he is aware that Miss Annie Martin, aged 76, and her sister, Mrs. Devine, aged 73, were arrested by the Crown forces and taken to Longford where they were imprisoned; that they were released, but subsequently re-arrested, and detained in prison, first at Longford, and afterwards at Athlone, and Mountjoy Prison, Dublin, for over a month until released on the 4th February last; whether their house at Ballinalee was burned by the Crown forces; and whether he will state why these aged 940W ladies were detained in custody without any charge being preferred against them?
§ Sir H. GREENWOODThe answer to the first two parts of the question is in the affirmative. On the 7th January last a District Inspector of Police was foully murdered at the house occupied by these two women in circumstances which gave rise to the strongest suspicion that they were privy to the murder and knew who had committed it. Directions were given to proceed against them, but when their age was brought to my notice I decided, in view of this and of the fact that the house had been burned down, not to take further action in the matter, and they were accordingly released.
§ Mr. DEVLINasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether on 2nd January, 1921, an official communication was issued by garrison headquarters in Ireland stating that as a result of an ambush at Midleton, county Cork, in which one policeman was killed and two afterwards died of wounds, the houses of seven inhabitants living in the vicinity were destroyed on the evening of Saturday, 1st January, by order of the Military Governor, the occupants being given one hour's notice to remove their belongings; and what explanation he has to offer for the new policy of reprisals by order of the Military Governor now being pursued in Ireland?
§ Sir H. GREENWOODThe answer to the first part of the hon. Member's question is in the affirmative. The measures taken by the Military Governor on this occasion were deemed by him to be necessary as a deterrent, against future ambushes of the Crown forces, and have my full support.
§ Lord H. CAVENDISH-BENTINCKasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether County Court Judge Fleming, in awarding compensation at the Athlone Quarter Sessions in respect of the burning of the house and furniture of Mr. Hughes, of Coosan, on 7th November, stated that he had no doubt that it was the work of the forces of the Crown; and whether any action has been taken against those responsible for this burning?
§ Sir H. GREENWOODI am informed that the County Court Judge did not express himself as free from doubt that the burning in question was committed by 941W the Crown forces, but only stated that the evidence in support of the claim pointed to that conclusion—a very different matter. It has not, in fact, been possible to fix responsibility for this outrage upon any member of the Crown forces, and no member has therefore been made amenable.
§ Mr. DEVLINasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he is aware that Mr. Thomas O'Mahony, J.P., chairman of the Fermoy urban council, and Mr. J. J. Broderick, urban district councillor, were both taken to the military barracks, Fermoy, on Sunday morning, 2nd January, 1921, and informed that the town had been fined £100 in connection with the tearing down of proclamations which had been posted during the week at the post office and on certain shop windows; that Mr. O'Mahony was detained in custody until Friday, 6th January, when he was released, the military authorities having levied the fine by confiscating goods from four business establishments in the town; and what explanation he has to make on the matter?
§ Sir H. GREENWOODI am informed by the Commander-in-Chief that the facts are as stated. The action was within the general powers vested on the Military Governor under martial law.
§ Mr. WATERSONasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether the Bridgetown co-operative creamery was burned on the 20th January, the roof and nearly all woodwork totally destroyed, machinery injured, and some of the utensils, stores, and fixtures entirely consumed; whether this damage was committed by forces of the Crown; and whether he will cause immediate inquiries to be made?
§ Sir H. GREENWOODAccording to a police report which I have received this creamery was destroyed by fire on the date mentioned, and the destruction appears to have been malicious. The police are unable to assign any motive for the outrage, or to obtain any information as to the person by whom it was perpetrated.
§ Mr. T. GRIFFITHSasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he has received any communication from the United Operative Plumbers and Domestic Engineers Association regarding the case of Mr. E. Dorrins, a member of that 942W association, who was taken from his bed at his own home in Dublin at 12.30 a.m. on the 3rd February by Crown forces, and after ill-treatment by them was conveyed in a motor lorry through the city and was asked by the officer in charge whether he would like to be drowned or shot, and was taken to Capel Street Bridge where three members of the Crown forces flung him into the river; and, if so, what action he proposes to take in the matter?
§ Sir H. GREENWOODI have directed an inquiry to be made into these allegations, which were only recently brought to my notice by the General Secretary of the United Operative Plumbers and Domestic Engineers Association. If the hon. Member will repeat his question on one day next week, I hope then to be in a position to furnish him with a reply.
§ Lieut. - Commander KENWORTHYasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland (1) whether he has received the Report of the inquiry he ordered into the robbing of Mrs. James Coakly, a widow, of Donoughmore, County Cork, by uniformed men on Friday, 10th December last; what is the result of the investigations, and whether the sum of £200 which was taken has been returned to Mrs. Coakly;
(2) whether he has received the Report of the inquiry he ordered to be made into the raids by men in uniform on several houses in Donoughmore, County Cork, on Friday, 10th December last, when various sums of money were taken from the houses of Miss O'Regan, Mr. J. Sexton, Mrs. J. Murphy, and Mrs. Healy, all of that town; what was the result of the inquiry; and whether the sums of money have been returned to the owners?
§ Sir H. GREENWOODA full and searching inquiry has been made into these allegations which are explicitly denied by the officer in charge of the police party operating in the district on the date mentioned. No evidence has been forthcoming implicating any member of his force.