25. Lieut.-Colonel Sir F. HALLasked the Secretary of State for War whether Service gratuities are granted to officers who have received their commissions while serving in a civilian capacity in Government Departments and have never carried out any military duties, peaceful or other wise, on the same scale as in the case of officers who have been on active service and who, in a large proportion of cases, have been subjected to risk and hardship over a long period; and, if so, whether he will consider the possibility of drawing some distinction between these two classes of soldiers?
§ Mr. FORSTERThis question has already been very fully and carefully considered. While the existence of a broad contrast of the kind indicated in the question is recognised, it is found impossible without intolerable complication to make a monetary distinction applicable to all the intermediate classes and cases.