§ 49. Colonel YATEasked the Prime Minister whether, considering that since the Military Service Act is now in force and the scheme for making grants for meeting rent, rates, taxes, and other liabilities has been applied to all lieutenants and second lieutenants joining the Army,' and to the fact that conditions are now entirely different from those existing at the commencement of the War, he will reconsider the decision of the Government in the case of those Civil servants whose desire to join the Forces of the Crown for the War has not been acceded to on account of the cost to the State involved in making up their military pay to the amount of their Civil Service salaries at the time of joining?
§ The FINANCIAL SECRETARY to the TREASURY (Mr. McKinnon Wood)All Civil servants are released for military service if, and as soon as, they can be spared 312 from their ordinary duties, and in no case has permission to join the Forces been refused on account of the cost to the State involved in making up military pay to the amount of civil pay. As my hon. and gallant Friend was informed on the 6th instant, the Government do not think that the change in the conditions since the outbreak of war would justify an alteration of the present arrangements as regards the pay of Civil servants when serving with the Colours.
§ Colonel YATEIs this not constituting a privileged class among young Government clerks who arc being treated differently from all others?
§ Mr. McKINNON WOODI do not think so. The terms offered by some great municipal authorities are more generous