§ 71. Mr. T. TAYLORasked the Minister of National Service whether, in general, a man of forty-six years of age or over should not primâ facie be exempted from the Volunteer Training Corps condition?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (Mr. S. Walsh)I have been asked to answer this question. There appears to be no reason why men of forty-six years of age should as a matter of course be relieved of the Volunteer obligation; each case must be considered on its merits.
§ Mr. TAYLORIs not the object of releasing these men of forty-seven, forty-eight, and forty-nine that they shall be employed on work of national importance, and are not these men so heavily engaged during the day that to ask them, after their day's work, to go and drill is merely a farce?
§ Mr. TAYLORWould not the recommendation of the President of the Local Government Board probably have some weight in preventing local tribunals imposing the duty of drilling upon men who have very little practical hope of ever being called up?