§ 97 Mr. DORISasked the Under-Secretary of State for War (1) whether John Battle, farmer's son and migratory labourer, of Muccanagh, Turlough, Castlebar, county Mayo, who came to England in March last, was arrested by the military authorities under the Military Service Act on a farm at Knowsley, near Prescot, where he was temporarily engaged as agricultural labourer, and forced to join the Royal Garrison Artillery at Gosport; whether steps will be taken to protect Irish migratory labourers from such treatment; (2) why Thomas M'Hale, migratory labourer, of Oughterard, Turlough, county Mayo, who came to England about nine weeks ago, was recently arrested under the Military Act on the farm of Mr. George Yockshell, Granage, near Holmes Chapel, Cheshire, where he was engaged as an agricultural labourer; and, having regard to the fact that he was never ordinarily resident in Great Britain, steps will at once be taken to have M'Hale discharged from the Army, in which he is enrolled as Private No. 4,683, R.L.V., C Company,. Reserve Battalion, Hut 19, Park Hall Camp, Oswestry, Wales; and (3) why Michael Nolan, of Cloonagleeragh, Turlough, county Mayo, who came to England 2897 as a migratory labourer six weeks ago, was seized by the military authorities on the farm of a man named Sherlock, at Molesworth, and forced into the Army, although he was never ordinarily resident in Great Britain; whether he is aware that Nolan's two brothers are already in the Army; and, as he is the only support of his widowed mother, will steps be taken to have him discharged from the Army forthwith?
§ Mr. TENNANTInquiries are being made into all these cases which deal with individual persons.