§ 5. and 58. Mr. SWIFT MacNEILLasked the Secretary of State for War (1) whether three young men, Patrick M'Nelis, Bullard, Glencolumbkille, John Stromlin, and M'Guinness, of Largy, Kellybegs, who came over to Scotland as temporary harvest labourers but who reside permanently in Ireland, have been served with notices to join the Colours under the Military Service Acts, on the ground of having filled registration forms in Scotland in the year before the introduction of compulsory military service; if so, whether immediate steps will be taken for the withdrawal of such notices and for the protection of these young men from further illegal action by the military authorities; and (2) whether his attention has been directed to the fact that three young men, migratory labourers, permanently resident in Ireland, namely, Patrick M'Nelis, of Bullard, Glencolumbkille, living in the Gtenoolumbkille police district, John Stromlin, and M'Guinness, of Largy, 2652 Killybegs, living in the Killybegs police district, who filled registration forms in Scotland last year before the institution of compulsory military service but who did not reside in Scotland after the harvest period, have been threatened with arrest by the police if they do not join the Colours under the Military Service Act; and whether immediate steps will be taken to secure from police or military molestation these temporary harvest labourers, who do not come, as she War Office has admitted, within the provision of the Military Service Acts?
§ Mr. FORSTERI will inquire about these men. General instructions are being issued which will, I hope, remove this difficulty.
§ 6. Mr. DORISasked the Secretary of State for War if he has yet completed his promised inquiries into the cases of Thomas M'Hale, Michael Nolan, and John Battle, Irish migratory labourers, who, although never ordinarily resident in Great Britain, were forced into the Army by the military authorities in England; whether these men or any of them have since been offered their discharge from the Army; and, if not, can he state upon what grounds they are detained against their will?
§ Mr. FORSTERThe inquiries into these cases have been completed. It has been ascertained that all three men were brought before Civil Courts for the question of their liability for service under the Military Service Acts to be decided, as provided in Section 1 (2) (a)of the principal Act. In each case the Civil Court decided that there was liability to serve.