AN OFFICIAL STATEMENT.

Colonist, Volume LVII, Issue 14156, 5 August 1916, Page 5

AN OFFICIAL STATEMENT.

(Australian and N.Z. Cable Association)

(Received August 4, 5.5 p.m.)

Lcndoß, August 4. The Press Bureau Las issued the following statement:—

The Government, before deciding not to interfere with. Casement's sentence, carefully and repeatedly considered all the circumstances. He was convicted of .treachery of the worst kind to the Empire and was the willing agent of Germany in connection with the Irish rebellion, which resulted in much loss of life to soldiers and civilians. Casement invoked and organised; German assistance to the insurrection.

Although for years a- British official, Casement entered into an explicit agreement with Germany that his Irish Brigade- should be employed in Egypt against the British. Those prisoners resisting Casement's solicitations to disloyalty were subjected to exceptionally cruel treatment by the Germans, and some since exchanged as invalids have died in Britain, regarding Casement as their murderer.

•The suggestion that Casement left Germany for the purpose of suppressing the Irish rising was not raised at the trial, and it was conclusively'disproved, not only by the facts disclosed at the trial, but by further evidence' which has since become available.

Another suggestion that Casement was insane, was equally without foundation. His counsel did not raise tho plea, and Casement's demeanour since Ids arrest, throughput the trial, andl since gave no ground for any such defence. Indeed it was sufficient in dis-

prove it,