§ MR. PIRIE (Aberdeen, N.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether, with a view to securing that no man shall now be enlisted under the age of eighteen years, he will consider the advisability of amending the attestation paper by placing before the recruit his liability to punishment for a false answer as to age; of carrying into practice Sections 33, 34, and 99 of the Army Act; and of the addition of a question, asking for an opinion as to age, to Army Forms B 64 and 97, as well as forwarding these forms whenever practicable to the School Board under whom the recruit was schooled.
* LORD STANLEYI am desired by my right hon. friend to say that as regards 907 the liability to punishment, his legal advisers inform him that conviction for making a false statement as to age cannot be held good unless the man pleads guilty, or the prosecution proves that he knew his correct age, a man's actual age not being a matter within his personal knowledge. The suggested amendment to the attestation papers would not therefore appear advisable. As regards Army Forms B 64 and 97, information as to the age of the recruit is already stated on them. Reference to the School Boards for their opinion would throw an immense amount of labour on the School Boards without any certain result.
§ MR. PIRIEWhat steps have been taken to give effect to the Resolution passed by the House on this subject.