Mr. L. WILLIAMSasked the President of the Local Government Board whether he is aware that two brothers, named Harry, who worked at the Bynea steel werks, Llanelly, and who were conscientious objectors, have been forced into the Army although they worked in a starred industry and were therefore engaged on work of national importance; and will he inquire why such treatment was accorded to these men at a time when 150 soldier workmen are being employed at the Llanelly steel works and the inadequate production of steel is hampering the making of munitions?
§ Mr. LONGI am not acquainted with the facts of these cases, but if application1066W for exemption was made on the ground of conscientious objection only, the tribunal had to decide the application on this ground.
§ Mr. SNOWDENasked the President of the Local Government Board if he will inquire into the conduct of the Norwich local tribunal who granted certificates of exemption from combatant service to Ernest J. Cornwell and John J. Cornwell, of 54, Spencer Street, Norwich, such certificates being dated 7th July, whereas the postmark shows that these certificates were not sent to the applicants until 18th July, and as these two men were arrested by the military on 2nd June and bad been in prison for about six weeks for refusing to obey military orders as combatant soldiers when their certificates of exemption were received, he will ascertain who is responsible for this dereliction of duty on the part of the tribunal or its officials?
§ Mr. SNOWDENasked the President of the Local Government Board if he will advise the Brentford Tribunal to rehear the claim for exemption from the Military Service Act made by P. Daly, employed at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, in view of the following facts: that he is about forty years of age; that the director, instructed by the Board of Agriculture, has certified that Daly is an excellent workman, very steady and conscientious; that the foreman would be sorry to lose his services, especially at the present time; and that the Board are of opinion that he would be very usefully employed in work of national value if allowed to remain in his present situation; and that Lieutenant-Colonel Prismal, while regarding Daly's views as foolish, has certified that he has known Daly to hold his views against military service for twelve years?
§ Mr. LONGMr. Daly made application for exemption on the ground of a conscientious objection, and his application was, therefore, decided on this ground. I do not think that the facts warrant my intervention. Any application for a rehearing should be made to the Appeal Tribunal which finally decided the case.
Mr. E. HARVEYasked the Secretary of State for War whether he can state what is the present position of Frederic Shackleton, a member of the Non-Combatant Corps, who was sent under protest 1067W from Felixtowe to France in the month of May, and sent, after the promulgation of his sentence by court-martial, to the military prison at Rouen, on or about the 23rd July, 1916?
§ Mr. FORSTERI have no information on this subject, but will make inquiry.