§ Captain W. BENNasked the Secretary of State for War if his attention has been called to the case of S. Keeffe, M.C., late regimental sergeant-major, Royal Fusiliers; whether he is aware that this man, after nearly 25 years' service, received 28 days' notice to quit his house; that he was unable to find any accommodation; and that he was summoned on the 25th January for not vacating his quarters and ordered to quit by 28th February and pay all expenses of the summons in addition to an increased rent; whether his attention has been called to Mr. Keeffe's services in the South African campaign, during the Great War, and in India, and his awards, which include the Queen's South African Medal, five clasps; the King's South African Medal, two clasps; the Military Cross, the British War Medal, the Victory Medal, the Long Service and good conduct Medal, and the Croix de Guerre; and what steps he proposes to take in the matter?
§ Sir L. WORTHINGTON-EVANSIt is necessary, as a matter of obvious justice to the numerous serving married soldiers at Hounslow who are compelled to live in lodgings owing to the shortage of public quarters at the station, that Mr. Keeffe, now that he has left the service, should vacate the public quarters in barracks which he occupied whilst in the Army, and which he has irregularly retained for more than seven months after ceasing to be entitled to them, in view of his honourable record. I can only hope that he will not compel the authorities to resort to the extreme measure of ejectment, to which, otherwise, acting after repeated warnings and in due course of law, they must immediately proceed.