§ Mr. GRUNDYasked the Secretary of State for War whether his attention has been drawn to a meeting which was held at Birmingham on the 14th September at which the refusal of the Government to pay the War gratuity to men of the special sections, Royal Engineers, who are Post Office servants in civil life, was considered; whether he is aware that the men concerned did not receive full civil emoluments; whether they were promised full civil and military pay and allowances on enlistment; whether commanding officers from the Post Office have been paid generous gratuities on discharge; and whether, in order to remove discontent and unrest, he will have the decision reviewed?
§ Mr. FORSTERSo far as the War Office is concerned, the officers have received no508W more and the men no less than they were entitled to by the terms of their engagement, and I cannot hold out any hope of a reversal of the Government decision that the men shall not receive the War gratuity. The question of their non-receipt of the civil bonus, to which I understand the hon. Member to refer in the second part of the question, is not a matter for the War Office.