§ 6. Mr. SWIFT MacNEILLasked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether he is aware of the discontent created by the cases in which men of military age without previous military training, who have seen no service either at home or abroad, have been placed in the position of military representatives on the tribunals, and empowered to decide as to the fitness of others for the military service which they thus avoid themselves; whether a full commission of lieutenant was given to a Mr. Wally Leveaux, at the time employed on the Stock Exchange and of military age; whether this gentleman was forthwith appointed a military representative of a tribunal on which he is still acting; under what conditions was a Mr. Lumley, a former member of the Stock Exchange, given his commission, and why has this gentleman been appointed a military representative on the tribunal at Hampstead; whether Mr. H. J. Nias, who has been appointed military representative at Hounslow, the proprietor of the local Spring Grove laundry, is of military age, and has been given the position of lieutenant without having previously had any military training; whether he is aware of yet another appointment as military representative on a tribunal of a gentleman of great wealth and social influence, of military age, without any previous military experience on active service; and whether, having regard to the heartburning created by these and similar appointments which men who have seen active service and have been invalided home are 883 well competent to fill, and the suspicion of favouritism and desire to protect individuals at the expense of the community to which such appointments are subject, steps will be immediately taken for the abatement of this state of affairs?
§ Mr. MACPHERSONThe policy of the Department is to employ as military representatives officers who are either over military age or unfit for general service. Of those who are mentioned by name in the question, Lieutenant Leveaux is classified fit for light duty at home only; Mr. Lumley was commissioned in an Infantry battalion in the ordinary course, was found unfit for general service in November last, and is still unfit; Mr. Nias is not commissioned, but is aged forty-one and is in category C3. These three specific cases given by my hon. Friend do not appear, in my view, to justify the reflections which he casts upon the general character of these appointments. So far as the case not specifically given by my hon. Friend is concerned, I must ask for further and better particulars.
§ Mr. WATTAre we to understand from that answer that no military representatives throughout the country are fit for service?
§ Mr. MACPHERSONI cannot, of course, say that offhand and without notice. What I can say is that the policy of the Department is to employ as military representatives officers who are either over military age or unfit for military service.
§ Mr. MacNEILLDoes my hon. Friend in the slightest degree deny that Mr. Nias, who is the proprietor of a laundry, has been appointed as military representative in the very locality in which the trade lies, and does he deny that the other two gentlemen, with the rapidity of a transformation scene, came straight from the Stock Exchange into regimental uniform?
§ Mr. MACPHERSONI cannot answer as to the last two cases specifically, but I do not see any harm in Mr. Nias being appointed locally. He is forty-one years of age and in category C 3.
§ Mr. MacNEILLDoes the hon. Gentleman know the gentleman to whom paragraph four of the question relates, and is he aware that that gentleman is a man great in riches and was quite willing to go?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe hon. Member has already received an answer to his question.