HC Deb 15 March 1900 vol 80 c911
MR. PATRICK O'BRIEN (Kilkenny)

I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for War what is the legal age at which the military authorities can retain a recruit who, having enlisted, has claimed his discharge either by himself or his legal guardians on the grounds that he is under age; whether a boy named James Martin enlisted in the 1st Battalion of the Dublin Fusiliers last October, and whether his parents claimed his discharge on the grounds that he was under age, and enclosed the official certificate of his birth, showing his exact age was seventeen years and six months; and whether it is intended to discharge James Martin; and, if not, on what grounds is he retained.

*MR. J. POWELL-WILLIAMS

There is no legal age. The practice is to let a recruit go who is under seventeen years of age if his discharge is claimed. If he is over seventeen the discretion rests entirely with the general officer commanding the district. In this case he has decided to retain James Martin, and the man will accordingly be held to serve.

MR. PATRICK O'BRIEN

Do I understand the hon. Gentleman to say that Martin will be discharged?

*MR. J. POWELL-WILLIAMS

I said just the reverse.

MR. PATRICK O'BRIEN

Suppose Martin is a ward in Chancery?

*MR. SPEAKER

Order, order!