HC Deb 02 March 1916 vol 80 cc1218-9W
Captain C. BATHURST

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether a farmer who was starred under the National Registration Act and is now included in the list of certified occupations can toe prevented by the local recruiting officer from claiming exemption from military service or whether he is entitled as of right, as publicly announced by the Board of Agriculture on the 4th February, to obtain from the local tribunal a certificate of personal exemption in spite of the objection of the recruiting officer unless such objection has been made good before the local tribunal; and whether a farmer so treated will have any opportunity of obtaining exemption after the 2nd instant?

Mr. TENNANT

A farmer as such was not "starred," but under certain conditions he is in a certified occupation. If his application is duly made for a certificate of exemption, the recruiting officer cannot prevent it from being considered and adjudicated upon. A man to whom the Military Service Act applies must have made his application before the 2nd March, unless he satisfies the local tribunal that there was reasonable ground for the application being made after that date.