§ 56. Mr. Sorensenasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether, in view of the free postage to their homes now granted to Dominion troops in this coun- 1068 try, he will secure the same privilege to British troops whose pay is substantially lower and who therefore are in greater need of that concession?
§ The Financial Secretary to the Treasury (Captain Crookshank)No, Sir, and my right hon. Friend has already explained in reply to my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Coventry (Captain Strickland) on 18th June some of the objections to the grant of free postage to members of His Majesty's Forces serving in this country. The position is in no way affected by any arrangements made by the Dominions authorities at their own expense in regard to letters home from Dominions forces serving away from their own country.
§ Mr. SorensenIs the right hon. and gallant Gentleman aware that numbers of our troops feel rather hurt that Dominion soldiers, who have bigger pay, have this facility, whereas our troops have not?
§ Captain BellengerWill the right hon. and gallant Gentleman give further consideration to this matter, seeing that if this concession could be granted, it would be very well received by the soldiers, many of whom have already enjoyed the facility while serving overseas, whereas now that they are in the front line here, they do not have it?
§ Captain CrookshankPerhaps the hon. and gallant Gentleman will look at the reasons which my right hon. Friend gave as preventing him from accepting this suggestion. With regard to the hon. and gallant Member's second point, the troops have enjoyed the facility when overseas for the reason that when they are serving overseas there are no normal postal facilities. Those postal facilities exist in this country.
§ Mr. SorensenDoes not the same argument apply to Dominion soldiers as applies to British soldiers?
§ Captain CrookshankWhether it does or not, it has nothing to do with me, because the Dominions make their own arrangements.
§ Mr. SorensenWhy not follow suit?