§ Mr. LINDSAYasked the Under-Secretary of State for War if he is aware that certain men joined the cadet platoon of the 19th Battalion of the Royal Irish Rifles on the understanding that their applications for commissions would be endorsed and sent to the War Office provided they passed the usual tests and that their conduct was satisfactory, and that up to 18th February these men were treated as cadets but since then they have been treated as ordinary riflemen, and have been given to understand that they are to proceed as such to some theatre of war; and will he state if the applications of these men to be transferred to an Officers' Cadet battalion have been refused, and will he have the matter fully investigated and appropriate action taken?
§ Mr. MACPHERSONIt was found out that a cadet platoon was formed as described, and its formation being unauthorised, the Army Council wrote on 29th November to the Commander-in-Chief in Ireland drawing attention to this platoon, and saying that the men would be accepted as special oases if recommended by the Commander-in-Chief. The letter went on to say that they noted that the Commander-in-Chief had taken steps to put an end to the custom which existed in the unit named.