§ Mr. BYRNEasked the Under-Secretary of State for War if Irishmen who were 2301W unjustly conscripted whilst on temporary work or on work of national importance in Great Britain will be allowed to place a statement of their case before the Committee appointed to deal with the re-examination of men called for military service; and if the cases of Private Timothy Cronin, No. 29,618, A Company, 3rd South Wales Borderers, Gunner Joseph Browne, Royal Field Artillery, Maryhill Barracks, Glasgow, and Private Thomas Lynaham, Taverham Camp, will be considered by this Committee?
§ Mr. MACPHERSONThe Special Committee appointed by the House to investigate the working of the Military Service (Review of Exceptions) Act, 1917, is not applicable to the cases referred to In the hon. Member's question. Such cases would not come within the terms of reference of the Committee. With reference to the case of Cronin, the hon. Member has already been informed that as Cronin was a voluntarily attested man there was no question of his being excepted from the liability to service on the ground that he was ordinarily resident in Ireland and only temporarily resident in Great Britain, and as Cronin was not in possession of any certificate of exemption he was rightly called up and properly handed over by the magistrates as being an absentee from military service. With reference to the case of Gunner Joseph Browne, I must refer the hon. Member to the answer which was given to him on the 12th July. With reference to the case of Private Lynam, the hon. Member has already been informed that inquiries are being made into the facts of this case, and the inquiries have taken longer than was anticipated owing to the fact that Private Lynam has recently been transferred at his own request to the Royal Irish Fusiliers.