HC Deb 16 November 1914 vol 68 cc216-7
105. Mr. BENNETT-GOLDNEY

asked the Under-Secretary for War if he will give instructions to the recruiting authority at the War Office to issue a sufficient number of posters to all recruiting committees, setting out in clear and precise terms the exact amount which will be paid to Regular and Territorial soldiers, exclusive of stoppages, with the exact sums of the different separation allowances, the amount of pension the soldier will himself receive if wounded, and the amount of the pensions to which wives and children will be entitled in case of death?

Mr. TENNANT

A leaflet dealing with the latest decisions in regard to the points raised in this question has been issued within the last few days in very large numbers to all concerned.

107 Mr. BENNETT-GOLDNEY

asked the Under-Secretary for War if he will now give instructions to the advertising authorities concerned that in future all notices and posters shall state clearly the approximate number in round figures of recruits required on Lord Kitchener's advice by the end of the present year; if he will give instructions that in future requests for smaller numbers than those really required shall not be issued, so that misunderstandings on this point may be avoided in future; and if his attention has been called to the fact that the driblet system of asking for only 100,000 men at a time when ten times that number were really needed has been found to be detrimental to recruiting and a source of discouragement to effort, even to members of recruiting committees?

Mr. TENNANT

As regards the third part of the question, a very large number of men have been enlisted in a little over three months. I cannot therefore think that the methods followed have had such detrimental results as the hon. Member suggests. As regards future posters, advantage will, of course, be taken of all the experience accumulated and the advice tendered, so far as it may be relevant.