25. Mr. EDMUND HARVEYasked whether attested married men desirous of joining the Royal Garrison Artillery before their groups have been called up have been refused permission to do so by the recruiting authorities at Leeds and elsewhere, while at the same time unattested men were accepted?
§ Mr. TENNANTI understand the men in question were refused because it was thought that a certain number of men who had not attested under the group system and were not liable under the Military Service Act, might be willing, if they were allowed, to go into the Royal Garrison Artillery. The Royal Garrison Artillery is being opened to group men as well as to unattested men.
§ Mr. HOGGEIs it fair to this class of man that he should be denied privileges which are given to men who are unattested?
§ Mr. TENNANTThat has been allowed. It was a mistake.
26. Mr. HARVEYasked whether steps can be taken to carry out more fully the undertaking made in Lord Derby's scheme that attested men should be allowed to join the unit for which they volunteered, provided that there were vacancies in that unit which required to be filled?
§ Mr. TENNANTThis question has been dealt with both in individual cases and by general instructions. For the last three months all the officers responsible have been instructed that, as far as possible, men should be given their preference of unit, provided they stated this preference on their attestation form and that there are vacancies in the unit which they choose.