§ COLONEL WYNDHAM MURRAY (Bath)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether his attention has been called to cases of soldiers of the Army Reserve making false statements that they have not served before, with a view of being attested as recruits for the Regular Army; and whether, in view of the number of unemployed men in the Army Reserve, he will say what military or other objection exists to the re-enlistment of such men in the Regular Army, if they have passed to the Reserve with good characters, and desire to return to the Regular ranks.
§ MR. ARNOLD-FORSTERI am not aware that the number of cases of Reservists endeavouring to rejoin the colours by making false statements is large. Last year only fifty-four cases occurred of men being relegated to the Reserve for false answer on attestation. The general principle of maintaining a Reserve does not admit of a general permission to men of good character to return, and applications are generally refused.