§ 27. Mr. ROWLANDSasked the Secretary of State for War whether his attention has been called to the case of H. W. Hampton, No. 5 Eastern Company, Non-Combatant Corps, Valley Camp, New-haven, who was handed over to the military authorities by the Dartford Bench on the 8th instant, was placed in the guard room, Woolwich on Saturday night and part of Sunday for refusing to be medically examined, on Sunday afternoon was taken to Guildford and placed in detention cells, next morning was forcibly stripped of his clothes, medically examined, and forcibly 994 dressed in khaki, then sent to Newhaven, there placed in the Royal Sussex guard room, deprived of any tea, and treated in a rough manner; whether the officers told him that he would be tried by district court-martial; can he state whether Hampton has been tried by court-martial; and, if so, with what result?
§ 38 and 39. Mr. SNOWDENasked the Secretary of State for War (1) if he will give instructions to the recruiting officer at Keighley to cancel the calling-up notice to a tradesman whose name has been supplied to him, who offered himself for attestation in November last and was rejected on medical grounds, who was given an Army form B 2 512 A in February, marked permanently unfit, who was called up for re-examination last month and passed for general service, and later was sent a notice calling him to the Colours on 20th July; in view of the illegality of this notice under Section 3, Sub-section (2), of the Military Service Act, will special instructions be given to the recruiting officer to carry out the law in such cases; and (2), if he will order the release of Frank Sutton, who is now undergoing imprisonment in Winsom Prison, Birmingham, for refusing to obey military orders, seeing that Mr. Sutton has been taken into the Army by force, without a civil trial to prove that he was an absentee, and that he was taken from employment as inspector at the gunworks of Hodgkiss et Cie at Coventry; and, as he is a skilled engineer and a member of the Amalgamated Society of Engineers, whether he will take steps for the better employment of Sutton in his trade instead of his being supported at the public expense in prison?
§ 58. Mr. WATTasked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether his attention has been called to the fact that a lieutenant in charge of a signal section of the 5th Royal Munster Fusiliers, stationed at Haynes Park, near Bedford, on 21st or 23rd March last, threatened to arrest a farmer named Burr, of Willington, Bedfordshire, who endeavoured to protect from destruction his crops of young wheat and cabbages, and pointed out a neighbouring piece of grass which could be utilised by the men without any resultant damage; if so, will he say under what authority an officer is empowered to threaten to arrest a civilian endeavouring to protect his own property, in this case farm produce for the use of the nation; whether instructions will be issued by his Department to prevent such action in 995 future on the part of officers; and whether this particular officer has been reprimanded in any way?
§ Mr. FORSTERI have not the information to-day to answer these questions. Reports have been called for, and when they have been received the results will be sent to the hon. Members, with their permission, by letter.