§ Mr. HAYDAYasked the Secretary of State for War whether the signallers attached to the 2nd wireless squadron in Mesopotamia are being retained for the purpose of handling purely civil work; whether the major in charge of this squadron has announced that arrangements have been made for dealing with commercial traffic between the Caucasus and London; whether commercial traffic to and from London from Tiflis, Batoum, Busrah, Hinaidi, or Ijlalieh will work with Georgians at Tiflis who will use commercial code until they become accustomed to British code; whether the full establishment at Hinaidi and Ijlalieh is nineteen 640W men, of whom there are four Post Office men at Hinaidi and three at Ijlalieh; and whether he will issue immediate instructions that men are not to be retained with the military forces in order that their labour may be used for purely commercial purposes?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLIt has been recommended that a wireless squadron should form part of the permanent garrison of Mesopotamia, and wireless operators are not, therefore, being retained for the purpose of handling civilian work. Arrangements are, however, under discussion by which advantage may be taken of the presence of the wireless squadron in Mesopotamia to improve communication with the Caucasus in the interests of British trade. I have no information as to any statement made by the Major commanding the squadron nor as to the establishments at the stations mentioned.