asked (1) the Under-Secretary of State for War whether he will consider the case of two brothers, Private Henry Solomon, TR/4/12369, 60th Training Reserve, South Wales Borderers, and Private Sidney Solomon, TR/4/12368, 60th Training Reserve, South Wales Borderers, who, in obedience to a solemn oath to a dying father, have refused military service and been three times courts martialled; whether he is aware that they have long been willing to undertake national service under the Home Office scheme but that their loyal devotion to their dead father's command has been held to debar them from the offer of national service; and whether the Army Council will now consent to their being referred again to the tribunal with a view to their accepting national service; and (2) the Minister of National Service, whether he is aware that Henry Solomon, TR/4/12369, 60th Training Reserve South Wales Borderers, and Sidney Solomon, TR/4/12368, 60th Training Reserve South Wales Borderers, are two brothers, whose father, since deceased, bound them to swear that they would not bear arms; that in consequence they have refused combatant service but have always been willing to do any work of national importance, and that their tribunal has stated that it is ready to reconsider their cases with a view to their doing useful work; and whether, seeing that they have been refused work under the Home Office or any alternative but prison, it is the policy of the Government to keep men in useless employment even though the men themselves and their tribunals wish them to do work of national importance?

As stated in the question, these two men have been court-martialled three times, but I am not aware of the motives which actuated their disobedience. I understand that their cases have been considered by the Central Tribunal, who decided that they could not be regarded as genuine conscientious objectors. The answer to the last part of the first question is in the negative.

asked the Minister of National Service how many exemptions from military service have been granted to Russians and Italians, respectively, who have been called up for military service in this country by Ministers claiming to act for Russia and Italy under the military conventions?

According to the information at present in my possession, the numbers of Russians and Italians exempted are, respectively: Russians, 2,636; Italians, 3,089.

asked the Minister of National Service whether the Order of 9th April, withdrawing all certificates granted on occupational grounds to domestic indoor or outdoor servants, includes the withdrawal of a certificate granted to the chauffeur of a country doctor who has been granted exemption both by a local and Appeal Tribunal on the ground that he is indispensable to the work of the doctor, which is held to be of national importance?

The Order does include the withdrawal of a certificate of exemption granted on occupational grounds to the chauffeur of a doctor provided he was been in or after the year 1875, and is, pursuant to his last authorised medical examination, in Medical Category A, B 1, or C l, or Medical Grade 1 or 2 or has not been placed in a medical category or medical grade. It should be pointed out that many doctors in the country are now using motor cycles or are driving their own cars, and also that large numbers of women are now acting as chauffeuses. The work is also very suitable for discharged, partially disabled sailors and soldiers. If, however, owing to special circumstances none of these expedients was immediately available, there would be a primâ facie case for the suspension of the man's calling-up notice, and the regional directors of National Service have authority to grant temporary suspensions in exceptional cases of this kind.

asked the Undersecretary of State for War whether he is aware that Lance-Corporal (acting Sergeant) George Edwards, No. 4728, Scots Guards, enlisted in the Scots Guards on 22nd December, 1902; that he served two periods overseas and was wounded; that he was discharged time-expired on 21st December, 1915; that his application for a silver badge has been refused; and why this man was not discharged under paragraph 392 (XVI.)?

I am informed that Lance-Corporal Edwards was dis- charged under paragraph 392 (XXI.) King's Regulations on the termination of his engagement. As he now claims to be suffering from a disability due to his military service arrangements are being made for him to be examined by a medical board, and his case submitted to the Ministry of Pensions for consideration. If the medical board decide that he is permanently unfit for further military service, he will be eligible for the Silver War Badge, and will receive it on application. As regards the last part of my hon. and gallant Friend's question, Edwards was discharged during the early part of the War, and was not medically boarded. All soldiers are now examined by a medical board before discharge, whatever the reason for discharge.

asked the Undersecretary of State for War whether he is aware that Driver N. Allan, No. 710,117, 3rd East Lancashire Brigade, Royal Field Artillery, served in the Egyptian Expeditionary Force; that he was attached to the Indian Expeditionary Force; that he suffered from fever contracted abroad; and that he was discharged on 24th March, 1917, under paragraph 392 (XXI), King's Regulations; and why this man was not discharged under paragraph 302 (XVI.)?

I am making inquiries into the facts of this case, and will inform my hon. and gallant Friend of the result as soon as possible.

asked the Undersecretary of State for War if he is aware that women joining the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps as motor drivers are frequently left at the Connaught Club or the Metropole Hotel at Folkestone for long periods before being sent to France; that they are subjected to no proper test as to their efficiency while so detained on full pay waiting for employment; that in several such cases women, when eventually sent to Havre, have been found to be insufficiently instructed, and when this was notified to the authorities in England they were recalled, after an interval in which they had become efficient through instruction given them at Havre, protests by the officer commanding the Petrol Com- pany, Army Service Corps, being disregarded; and whether he will take steps to remedy this lack of organisation and the waste of public money occasioned thereby?

As regards the first part of my hon. Friend's question, all members of the Queen Mary's Army Auxiliary Corps have to spend about three weeks at the Hostel at Folkestone whilst they are inoculated and vaccinated. Until recently women were accepted as motor-drivers if they were in possession of a driving certificate from a reputable school of motoring, and could produce a satisfactory reference covering a period of not less than three months subsequent to the date of the certificate; provided, of course, that they were suitable in other respects. This has, however, proved to be inadequate, and all women recruits for the motor transport are now tested by the Army Service Corps before being sent to Folkestone. The women referred to in the question, who were returned from France, had been passed by the selection board at homo, and were considered proficient for service overseas. It was found, however, that, mainly owing to the driving conditions in the large towns in France being entirely different from those obtaining in this country, the women showed signs of nervousness. It was thereupon considered expedient to withdraw them, and they are now, with the exception of one who has been discharged, engaged in motor driving for the Royal Air Force. Arrangements have already been made to secure that women motor drivers intended for service overseas shall be subjected to more stringent tests as regards traffic.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether any Army Council circular, instructions, or directions have been issued to various commands in this country concerning the effect of the Defence of the Realm Regulation 40 D; if so, what is their general purport; and whether a copy can be seen by any hon. Member who wishes to know their exact terms?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave to a similar question which he asked on the 23rd April.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether the attendants in charge of mental patients of officer rank at the Latchmere Hospital are under military law but in civilian costume for medical reasons; whether these attendants are thus debarred from travelling at military rates; and, if so, whether that facility will in future be given to them?

There are both civilian attendants and military orderlies at this hospital. I will have inquiry made as to travelling facilities for the latter, and communicate the result to my hon. Friend.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether he will cause inquiry to be made into the case of non-payment of allowance by Private John McBurney, No. 29,816, B Company, 16 Hut, 4th Royal Irish Regiment, Belmont Camp, Queenstown, to Mrs. McBurney, his grandmother; and, if there is any back allowance due; will he take the necessary steps to have it paid up?

Inquiry will be made into this case, and I will inform my hon. and gallant Friend of the result in due course.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether he is aware that a clergyman obtained a commission as a chaplain. Class 4, Territorial Force, and was attached to a battalion of the Gloucester Regiment; that he was mobilised on the outbreak of war; that he served until August, 1917, being awarded the Military Cross; that he has been demobilised at his own request; that a gratuity has been refused; and whether he will take steps to issue a gratuity to him as is issued to a temporary Army chaplain who entered the Service after the outbreak of war and who receives a gratuity of sixty days' pay at the end of each year of his service?

Officers so commissioned have no claim under the Regulations to a gratuity if their service during the emergency is terminated at their own request.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether the effects of Private A. J. Farrant, No. 2,479, late 4th Battalion Hampshire Regiment, who was reported missing in Mesopotamia on 21st January, 1916, can now be distributed to his next-of-kin?

The Department is at present in communication with the relatives on this subject.

asked the Minister of Munitions whether his attention has been called to the case of foremen of engineering workshops in the Wolverhampton district who receive a higher wage and bonus on results, but who have not participated in the recent bonus of 12½ per cent. and 7½ per cent.; and whether he will give directions that the cases of such foremen will be favourably considered, so as to avoid the result of foremen receiving proportionately less remuneration than some workers under their supervision?

No special cases affecting the remuneration of foremen in Wolverhampton engineering shops have come to my attention. The Minister has, in any case, no power to give compulsory directions as to the payment of foremen in receipt of an upstanding wage or salary, but he is prepared to give favourable consideration to proposals received through the employer concerned for the grant to foremen of bonuses corresponding to the 12½ per cent. and 7½ per cent., due regard being given to their existing remuneration and the increases received during the War.

asked the Minister of Munitions whether he is aware that released soldiers in Class W Reserve employed at Messrs. Price's candle factory, Erith, are being paid 9d. per hour; that they are not receiving the 12 per cent. bonus nor the supplementary grant of £1; and that a number of civilians employed in the same factory on the same class of work are being paid 10½d. per hour, with the addition of extra allowances; and whether he will take steps to see that Class W men are paid at this rate?

I have caused inquiries to be made into this case, and I am advised that in all cases the Class W men are receiving the same rate as is paid to civilians for the same class of work. The 12½ per cent. bonus has not been extended to this work. The question whether it shall be so extended is now before the Minister of Labour for arbitration.

asked the Home Secretary whether he will give the reasons for withdrawing the dock permit of J. Hauser, of 114, Alexandra Road, Newport (Mon.); whether he is aware that J. Hauser is a Russian Pole who has lived nearly all his life in this country, and has a brother who wears the silver badge; and whether he will consider a restoration to J. Hauser of his dock permit, as it is essential to his business?

I have no powers with regard to this case. I understand that, after the man had been convicted of an offence against No. 18 of the Defence of the Realm Regulations, the permit in question was withdrawn by the Dock Company in pursuance of powers conferred on them by an Order of the Ministry of Munitions under those Regulations.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware of the hardship on the dairymen of Swansea and district, Neath, and other commercial centres of the Great Western Railway, by reason of the discontinuance of the 7.30 train ex Neyland on Sunday morning which deals with heavy milk traffic and is the means of conveying this delicate produce to the industrial centres; if he is aware that the action of the company in taking off this milk train is the means of souring churns of milk by reason of 24 hours' delay, which, with the advent of warm weather, will amount to a loss of considerably over 250 churns which will fall on the traders and consumers; and will arrangements therefore be made for the morning mail train to stop at Whitland, St. Clears, and Carmarthen for the purposes of bringing milk supplies on, or will he say what arrangements will be made?

Inquiries are being made in regard to this matter, and I will inform the hon. Gentleman of the result.