§ MR. ANDERSONasked the Secretary of State for War, Whether his attention has been called to the case of Private Porter, of the 18th Perth Highland Volunteer Corps, who was dismissed from his corps for the offence of attending two political meetings; that the meetings in question had so for been sanctioned by the magistrates granting the use of the hall to hold them in; that Private Porter expressed no approval of the sentiments of the lecturer, and that he did not attend in uniform or in any sense in his capacity of Volunteer; and, if the regulations of the volunteer force are now such that a citizen on joining a corps sacrifices his independent position as a citizen to the extent implied by this decision?
§ MR. CARDWELLSir, it is true that Private Porter's services have been dispensed with by his commanding officer, in consequence of his having presided at a public meeting held to hear a lecture in favour of a Republican form of government. My attention has been called to the circumstance by the Question 454 of my hon. Friend, and, looking to the words of the statute, I think they confer upon the commanding officer the power which he has exercised.