§ MR. SLOAN (Belfast, S.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether, in view of the fact that ex-Sergeant Thomas Pressley, who served as master tailor in the 1st Battalion Royal West Kent Regiment, desired to re-engage for twenty-one years, was ordered by Colonel Maunsell to retire, and the fact that Pressley was given an exemplary discharge, he will call for a further report of this case with the view of his reinstatement, or the production of some evidence in accordance with Army regulations of Pressley's inefficiency or misdemeanour.
§ * MR. HALDANEAs I have already informed the hon. Member, I have had full inquiries made into this case, and I have satisfied myself that the military authorities concerned had good reasons for refusing to allow this man to extend his service. Mr. Pressley was offered permission to re-engage as a sergeant; though a good workman, he was found to be unfitted for the duties of the appointment of master tailor, who is charged with the supervision of the tailoring work of 355 the regiment. I am not prepared to reopen the case.
§ MR. SLOANIs it not the case that the man did fill the post for four years, and that the only cause of his losing it was that he went out to the Boer War.
§ * MR. HALDANENo, he was not reengaged because, in the opinion of those who supervised the work, he was not fitted for the post.