42. Mr. CHANCELLORasked whether the military representative of the Lewis-ham Local Tribunal is authorised to send a soldier to the private residence of an official of the Society of Friends, and joint editor of the Quaker monthly journal, and subject his wile to a lengthly catechism as to his age, salary, number, and ages of his children, what provision for maintenance would be forthcoming should he be placed in the Army or the Non-Combatant Corps, and also whether her husband belonged to a particular religious body?
§ Mr. FORSTERI am not aware of the circumstances mentioned by the hon. Member. If, however, the gentleman in question is liable to military service and is making an application to the tribunal for exemption, it is within the province of the military representative to ask for information relevant to the application, in order to decide whether the application should be assented to or contested. If the applicant or his wife choose to refuse such information they can do so, but in that case the matter would have to be gone into in detail before the local tribunal.
§ Mr. MORRELLIs the military representative in order in sending to a man's private residence?
§ Mr. FORSTEROnly in order to investigate the facts. There is nothing against sending to a man's private residence. If the man's wife or anybody else refuses to answer the questions, nothing happens except that the matter has to come before the tribunal.
§ Mr. MORRELLIs not the hon. Gentleman aware that people are very much afraid of the representatives of the Army?