§ 30. Mr. T. SMITH (for Mr. THORNE)asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether he can give the House any information in regard to the case of Private P. L. Lines, aged 16, of the training battalion, Royal Army Service Corps, Clayton Barracks, Alder shot, who was found hanged at the St. Andrew's soldiers' hostel; and how it was that a youth of 16 was a soldier in the British Army, and the reason for his death?
§ Mr. HACKINGAs the inquest on this young soldier is to be held to-day, I 13 am afraid that I am not yet in a position to make a full statement on the case. When the full facts are known I will, with the hon. Member's permission, communicate with him by letter. As regards Private Lines' age, he declared on attestation that he was 18.
§ Mr. T. WILLIAMSHas the War Office no means of ascertaining whether the statement made by such a juvenile was correct or otherwise, and does the War Office take any steps to make sure?
§ Mr. HACKINGNo, Sir. This subject has been discussed almost every year on the Army (Annual) Bill, and the reasons are given then. One of the chief reasons is that, if we had to insist on a birth certificate on every occasion, it might prevent certain young persons from having a second chance in life.
§ Mr. PIKEDo the trade unions take any trouble to ascertain the correctness of the declared age of new members joining various branches?