HC Deb 04 May 1916 vol 82 cc135-6W
Mr. KING

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War (1) whether W. A. Cooper and R. E. Pond, masters at Tettenhall College, Staffordshire, were fined and handed over to the military authorities at Wolver-hampton; where they now are; what course it is intended to pursue in their case; (2) whether he can give any information about E. G. Collinson, of Tonbridge, who was tried at Tonbridge on 18th April as a conscientious objector; where this man now is; whether he is awaiting or has undergone court-martial; if so, with what result; and (3) whether J. Tremewan, of Perran-porth, who was tried on 5th April, at Truro, as a conscientious objector, was sent to Bodmin and then to Rochester; whether he has since been sentenced to two years' penal servitude; if so, for what offence; where this man now is; what has been the cost of transferring him under escort to the different places where he has been since he was conscripted; what the cost of this man will have been to the taxpayer when he has served his sentence of two years; and what military advantage will have accrued to the nation from the expenditure?

Mr. TENNANT

I am obtaining information to enable me to answer these questions.

Mr. KING

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether he can now give any further information about J. Scott Duckers, who was fined on the 18th April at the Marlborough Police Court as a conscientious objector; where he is now; and what use will the Army make of his abilities?

Mr. TENNANT

I cannot at present add anything to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend yesterday.

Mr. KING

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether he has inquired into the cases of R. W. Forrester, P. H. P. Lackman, A. E. Jones, H. W. Jones, L. E. Ebeling, and C. Templeman, who were sentenced to twenty-eight days' confinement to barracks at Hounslow, on 20th April; for what offence were these men sentenced; whether they received, or asked for, trial by court-martial; were the proceedings regular; and whether these men can now be set free from the un-expired portion of their sentences?

Mr. TENNANT

My inquiries are not yet quite complete. Perhaps my hon. Friend will repeat his question.