§ 117. Sir d. DOUGHERTYasked the Secretary to the Treasury whether Mr. H. Stanley Smith, a junior clerk in the office of the surveyor of taxes in Dundalk, on attaining military age has been refused permission to join His Majesty's Forces; what were the reasons for this refusal; whether, having been accepted subsequently as a recruit for the Royal Field Artillery, Mr. Smith has been obliged to resign his office in order to take up his military duties; and whether he will now be granted the terms offered to Civil servants in the Treasury circular of 20th 1695 August 1914, or at least have a promise of reinstatement in his office at the close of -the War?
§ The FINANCIAL SECRETARY to the TREASURY (Mr. McKinnon Wood)As I have already explained to my right hon. Friend, the gentleman referred to belonged to a branch of the Inland Revenue Department which is responsible for the collection of some hundreds of millions of war revenue, and is already severely handicapped in the performance of this essentially national work by shortage of appropriate staff. This case does not come within the terms of the circular referred to by my right hon. Friend, and I cannot make any definite promise in such cases, in fairness to those who have observed the rules of the service.
§ Sir E. CARSONMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether he could not find anybody in Ireland to undertake the duties of this junior clerk?
§ Mr. McKINNON WOODThese duties are very technical, and a very considerable number of men from the service have been allowed to go.
§ Sir E. CARSONBut has the right hon. Gentleman sought in Ireland for anybody who can perform the duties of a junior clerk, and let this man of military age go?
§ Sir J. DOUGHERTYIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that this indispensable clerk has attained the age of eighteen years, and has been about six months in the service of the Inland Revenue, and that his work could be done as efficiently by a girl clerk?
§ Sir E. CARSONWhat about the men of forty-one?