§ 17. Lieutenant-Colonel RAWasked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he will consider the desirability of refunding the payments made by parents of midshipmen during the early years of the War when these junior officers were engaged on active service against the enemy?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAThe Admiralty had from the beginning of the War, discretionary power to waive the payment of private allowance to midshipmen in any case in which it would have been a hardship to the parent had the obligation been insisted upon. Subsequently, the entire remission of private allowances during the period of the War, as from the 1st July, 1917, was enacted. I am afraid we cannot undertake to make the refund of payments as suggested.