Last night [November 28th, 1917] a very important point arose at the Luton Borough Tribunal as to whether a man of high category should be transferred from the Special Constabulary to the Volunteers.

The case was that of Percival A. Edwards, 36, B1, married, 136 Old Bedford Road, clerk and warehouseman for Boutwood & Lyon, Guildford Street. He appeared in special constable's uniform at 7.15pm, and said he had been on duty at 7pm.

The Town Clerk [Mr William Smith]: "You are under two orders tonight."

Mr Boutwood said Edwards was really a factory manager now. Mr Lyons was in the Army.

Military Representative Lieut Gardner suggested that as Edwards was in a high category he should be transferred to the Volunteers, and said there were plenty of men for the Specials who were unfit for the Volunteer work.

The Town Clerk, in arguing against this suggestion, added there were plenty of men in business not liable to military service who had joined the Special Constabulary.

Alderman Arnold: "And they are putting in more service than the Volunteers. There is no comparison."

Lieut Gardner disagreed from that statement, and said a man who could not stand Volunteer work could stand the constabulary duties.

Alderman Arnold: "The comparison is the other way about."

The Town Clerk: "There is a direct regulation by the officer in command of this particular division that if a man is a Special Constable and a Volunteer he is to take precedence as a Special Constable. That shows on the face of it the Special Constabulary are rendering far superior service to the Volunteers."

Lieut Gardner: "That doesn't follow. It is not a logical conclusion."

The Town Clerk added that a Volunteer in an emergency must render service as a Special Constable.

Councillor W. Primett said that some of the men in the Special Constabulary could not do the marching in the Volunteers, and during the present circumstances the Special Constabulary duties were very exacting to them.

Lieut Gardner: "They have not the extra exercises they have in the Volunteers."

The Deputy Mayor said he did not think the Tribunal would be prepared to shift a man from the Special Constabulary to the Volunteers. It appeared Edwards had been a Special Constable for 15 months.

Lieut Gardner hoped the Tribunal would not think he was greedy for the Volunteers.

Alderman Arnold: "I have been given to understand you told some Special Constables, 'I am going to have you in the Volunteers'. You have no right to take up an attitude of that sort.

Lieut Gardner: "Who made that statement? Who told you, because I want authority for that statement."

Alderman Arnold: "You can take my word for it, or the other thing."

Lieut Gardner: "You can take the other man's word that I made the statement." Alderman Arnold: "I can."

The exemption was confirmed that Edwards remains in the Special Constabulary.

[The Luton News: Thursday, November 29th, 1917]