§ 80. Mr. McGheeasked the Secretary of State for War what has caused the delay in the payment of the balance of wages due on demobilisation and the gratuity generally received by Imperial troops, and also the refund of the compulsory allotments to the Inland Water Transport Royal Engineers from British Honduras who served in Egypt and Mesopotamia?
§ The Financial Secretary to the War Office (Sir Victor Warrender)In view of the lapse of time and the destruction of the relevant pay documents, I regret that it is not now possible to investigate this complaint arising out of service during the Great War. The Schedule laid before Parliament under Section 1 of 1114 the Public Record Office Act, 1877, permits the destruction of such documents after retention for a period of three years.
§ Mr. McGheeAre these the methods to adopt in order to encourage recruiting among these men, to rob them of rights which they earned 20 years ago?
§ Sir V. WarrenderThe same procedure has been adopted in all these cases.