§ MR. JAMES ROWLANDS (Finsbury, E.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether his attention has been called to the case of J. F. Sleap, late colour sergeant of the 4th V. B. Royal West Surrey Regiment, who was dismissed the corps after 28 years' service; whether he was guilty of any serious infringement of the Volunteer Regulations, or was only absent from the Easter Manœuvres on account of temporary ill-health; whether he is aware that Colonel Haddon has had inserted in the regimental orders that Mr. J. F. Sleap should be recommended for honorary rank and permitted to retain his uniform, and why was this order cancelled without any explanation being given; and whether he is prepared to grant a Court of Inquiry, so that the whole question may be investigated?
§ *MR. CAMPBELL-BANNERMANIt is the case that Mr. Sleap was dismissed by his Commanding Officer from the corps in question after having served 28 years in it. The power of dismissal rests absolutely with the Commanding Officer, as is laid down in Section 21 of the Volunteer Act of 1863, the words of which are these—
The Commanding Officer of a Volunteer corps may discharge from the corps any Volunteer, and strike him out of the muster roll, either for disobedience of orders by him while doing any military duty with his corps, or for neglect of duty, or misconduct by him as a 1731 member of the corps, or for other sufficient cause, the existence and sufficiency of such causes respectively to be judged of by the Commanding Officer.Colonel Haddon, in the first place, called upon Mr. Sleap to resign, and intimated his intention to recommend that Mr. Sleap should have leave to retain his rank and uniform; but, on Mr. Sleap refusing to resign and incurring dismissal, this recommendation was not made, and the order was withdrawn. This is entirely within the discretion of the Commanding Officer. I should have been glad if Colonel Haddon had seen his way to make this recommendation in the case of a non-commissioned officer of so long service, whose dismissal did not imply any imputation on his character. Courts of Inquiry are only allowed in very special cases. They are not in the nature of a Court of Appeal, but are merely intended to ascertain the full facts of a case; and as, in this instance, there is no doubt as to the facts, no occasion arises for inquiry.
§ MR. J. ROWLANDSI thank the right hon. Gentleman for his very explicit answer. But do I understand that the War Office can afford no means of redress to this colour sergeant? Is he aware that the feeling in the corps is so strong that for months it was found impossible to induce anyone to accept promotion in order to fill his place?
§ MR. CAMPBELL-BANNERMANEverything done by the Commanding Officer was perfectly regular and in accordance with the Regulations.