§ Mr. W. THORNEasked whether the 11 soldiers who were discharged during the week ending 19th September, 1909, at Colchester, on account of bad teeth, were discharged from the Army entirely, or only discharged from the colours to the first-class Army Reserve?
§ Mr. ACLANDThirteen men of the 8th Hussars, who are under orders for service in India, were rejected as medically unfit on account of defective teeth. The sum of £1 per head is granted for dental treatment of men with defective teeth, but as the cost of such treatment was assessed at a larger sum for these men, they were given the option of paying the extra amount required to make their teeth sound or of being discharged as medically unfit for further service. Three men elected the former course and 10 the latter.
§ Mr. W. THORNEWere these men discharged entirely or relegated to the Army Reserve?
§ Mr. ACLANDThey were discharged as medically unfit.
§ Mr. W. THORNEI understand that these men had passed through the earlier stages of their training, and would it not have been better, in consequence of these men being efficient soldiers for the Government to pay the necessary expenses and retain their services?
§ Mr. ACLANDThe military authorities attach great importance to soundness of teeth, particularly when men are going on foreign service. If a man cannot get his teeth made sound it is very much better, especially considering the large number of suitable recruits coming forward at present, not to retain him.
§ Mr. W. THORNEThey have lost the services of 11 men for the sake of £33?
§ Mr. ACLANDYes.
§ Mr. ARTHUR LEEIs the only reason for the rejection of these men the fact that it would have involved a certain amount of expense to the public to retain them?
§ Mr. ACLANDWe do not think it justifiable, considering the other expenses we are put to, to pay more than £1 towards the expenses of putting a man's teeth right. If the teeth are so bad that the expenditure of that sum would not put them right, we prefer to dispense with the man's services.
§ Mr. ARTHUR LEEHave you taken into consideration the amount of public money spent on these men to make them fit for service?
§ Mr. J. D. REESIs the hon. Gentleman aware that the Indian Government already have complained of the cost of the capitation charge, and that a soldier without good teeth is no use for India, as he cannot chew the tough mutton?