§ Mr. BARRANDasked the Secretary of State for War if he is aware that many officers, non-commissioned officers, and men who were compulsorily retained on the Rhine, or who were specially taken 1707W there with the battalions of young soldiers, were deprived of their bonus by being demobilised in the last few days of the month of April; and why this action was taken?
Captain GUESTOfficers and men not definitely retained for the Army of Occupation are demobilised with all practicable speed. If they have not been demobilised by 1st May, they then begin to receive the bounty as compensation for delay in returning them to civil life. If my hon. Friend's suggestion is that those discharged in April had a claim to be delayed in order that they might be compensated, I am afraid I cannot adopt it.