§ MAJOR RASCH (Essex, S.E.)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for War whether his attention has been called to the fact that, before Sir Georgo Kekewich and a bench of magistrates at the petty sessions, Sunbury, Edward Wainwright, aged 19, charged with stealing, was remanded to give him an opportunity to enlist; that he had not done so, and was remanded to Hollo way, where a recruiting officer was to visit him; and whether ho will take steps to stop the degradation brought upon the Army by such a practice?
§ THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WAR (Mr. G. WYNDHAM,) DoverThis youth was remanded at Sunbury "on condition that he enlisted," and the recruiting staff officer at St. George's Barracks was so informed by a missionary. The recruiting officer immediately informed the magistrates that "under no circumstances whatever would we accept a recruit while in custody, or in any way make enlistment an alternative to imprisonment." The lad was discharged by the magistrates, and subsequently presented himself for enlistment. Wainwright produced a good character extending over nine years 526 from the missionary, and he had a brother serving in the Army. The recruiting officer enlisted him and sent him to join his brother's regiment. I may add that Sir George Kekewich is not chairman of the Bench, and did not deal with the case.