§ Mr. CAUTLEYasked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether men who have attained the age of forty-one years since attestation are required to obtain and produce a birth certificate at their own expense, amounting to 3s. 7d.— i.e., 1s. search, 2s. 6d. certificate, and 1d. stamp; and, if so, whether he will take steps to have their birth certificates issued free of cost upon production of the War Office demand for the same, and thereby save a number of persons what in many cases amounts to a day's earnings.
§ Mr. TENNANTProof is required that a man has attained the age which prevents him from being accepted for service. I do not think public funds can be expected to bear the expense involved in enabling men to establish this point. I am not sure that there are not persons who would be quite ready to lay down a day's earnings or even more for the attainment of this object.