§ Mr. GINNELLasked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that, notwithstanding his undertakings to the contrary, the military authorities continue to take into the Army boys under military age and, when furnished with certificates of birth, answer that the age 2936W given by the boy is his official age and that he will be retained in the Force; will he say what is the authority for this theory of official age, seeing that it would cover sending such boys to the front; and, if a specific case of this is brought under his notice, whether he will have the boy sent home to his parents?
§ Mr. TENNANTIf information as to any cases where lads under age have been taken into the Army can be given the matter will be fully inquired into.
§ Sir W. BEALEasked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether he will take steps to procure the discharge, or at least the recall from the front, of Private John M'Cann, No. 27,155, 18th (Reserve) Battalion Royal Scots Fusiliers, aged seventeen years and six months, seeing that he joined the Army on the 2nd August, 1915, then aged sixteen years and nine months; that on discovery of his true age his father was informed that in January, 1916, he would be discharged, and the amount of his fare home was demanded of the father and duly paid by him, and that, nevertheless, the father is now informed that his son has been sent to the front, although the birth certificate showing his true age has been called for by the military record office at Hamilton and supplied by the father?
§ Mr. TENNANTI have called for a report on this case.