§ 6. Lieut.-Colonel HURSTasked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware of the recommendations made by His Majesty's Minister at Berne and of His Majesty's Consul-General at Zurich in favour of the continued employment of Mr. Vice-Consul Gann, late of the Dover Patrol, in the Consular Service; whether he is acquainted with this officer's long record of consular, naval, and intelligence work; on what grounds was he removed from his post at Zurich; whether in making displacements of this character he has regard to war services; and, if so, why 27 men of military age, but of no war service, received Consular posts at or about the same date as Mr. Gann's dismissal?
§ Earl W1NTERTONI am aware of Mr. Gann's record and his qualifications including the fact that he had war service. They were fully considered at the time of his application for admission to the permanent Consular Service in 1918. Mr. Gann's employmentin His Majesty's Consulate-General at Zurich was of a temporary character and, as in the case of other temporary appointments, was terminated when the necessity for it ceased to exist. With regard to the last part of the question, I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the reply given by the Secretary to the Department of Overseas Trade to the Member for Canterbury on 29th March last.