Mr. De la Bèreasked the Secretary of State for War whether consideration will 1255W be given to lieutenants in the Army who have been overseas for a period of from two to three years and who have been recommended by their commanding officers for promotion to captaincy but who have been passed over in favour of captains who have been drafted straight out from England to fill the posts.
Sir J. GriģģA vacancy for a captain in a unit can be filled in one of two ways. The commanding officer of the unit may promote one of his subalterns. I understand that if there are suitable subalterns in the unit this is in practice what is usually done. But the commanding officer may ask for a captain to be posted to the vacancy from among those who have been sent out from this country as reinforcements. This seems to me to be a sensible arrangement, and I am not aware that it has given rise to more than very occasional complaints.