§ MR. BOWLESI beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether his attention has been called to two telegrams, dated respectively the 24th and 27th February, 1902, from Colonel Colenbrander, commanding Kitchener's Fighting Scouts in South Africa, to Lieutenant Webber, assuring him that all moneys expended by him in advances to men and personal expenses would be made good to him; whether he is aware that, on the faith of this explicit assurance, Lieutenant Webber expended considerable sums of his own money in the public service, no part of which has been refunded to him; and whether the War Office now repudiates the promise given by Colonel Colenbrander in respect of the refund of these payments.
§ MR. ACLANDThe telegrams referred to are only two out of many documents relating to the case of Mr. Webber which have received my personal consideration. The time during which Mr. Webber can have been expending money on the strength of the telegrams was less than a month in duration, and I have no evidence of the expenses he incurred, during this time. I am afraid I can only repeat what has already been said to Mr. Webber, viz.: the service which he voluntarily rendered received a fair and reasonable recognition when he was granted a commission in the Remount Department. Much valuable assistance was rendered to His Majesty's Government during the war by others as well as Mr. Webber, but unpaid assistance thus voluntarily given and accepted cannot be considered as entitling those who gave it to claim a pecuniary reward years after the event.
§ MR. BOWLESWill the hon. Gentleman consider if the War Office cannot defray the expense incurred on the strength of the assurance?
§ MR. ACLANDI am afraid the War Office have no liability even for those expenses.