§ DR. TANNER (Cork Co., Mid)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for War, whether any explanation can be afforded of the causes of the falling off in recruiting of 10,537 for the past three years, 1892–5.
§ MR. BRODRICKThe explanation is that more men were required to complete the establishment in 1892 than were wanted in 1895. In each year the establishment was completed, as many recruits being forthcoming as were required.
§ MR. WEIRI beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for War, if he will state the amount expended in recruiting in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland during the current financial year?
§ MR. BRODRICKTo the end of January the expenditure was £732 15s. 2d.
§ DR. TANNERI beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for War, whether attention has been directed to the high percentage of rejections of recruits who presented themselves in the past three years for medical examination; and whether in the year 1895, with 55,698 presenting themselves for medical examination and 22,839 rejected, only 29,059 is the total number of recruits who joined; and, whether the 3,800 recruits who passed the medical examination, and who did not join, were rejected for other, and, if so, for what reasons?
§ MR. BRODRICKThe figures quoted in the Question are accurate. The number of rejections is attributable to the care with which applicants for enlistment are examined. The 3,800 who passed the medical examination, but did not join, consisted of men who either failed to appear for attestation or were rejected by approving officers on grounds of unsatisfactory character, &c.