§ MR. SCHWANN (Manchester, N.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War, whether there exists any Army or general order in South Africa by which members of the Royal Army Medical Corps are debarred from applying for permanent civil employmemt in South Africa, and if no disability exists would he cause the fact to he communicated to commanding officers in South Africa, in order that they may not place limitations on the Medical Corps, some of whom have served for longer periods in that country during the present war than similar officers in the other branches of the Army, such as time-serving soldiers, yeomanry, or militia, &c.
§ MR. BRODRICKNo such order exists, and in ordinary circumstances there would be no objection to allowing Medical Officers to take up State Civil employment under the usual regulations. At the present moment, however, it would not be possible to spare their services, even temporarily.