§ MR. G. BROWNEasked the Secretary of State for War, Whether it is true that the Officers of the 88th Regiment, now quartered in the west of Ireland and under orders to embark for the Cape of Good Hope on the 11th May next, have been peremptorily refused by their Colonel a week's leave of absence to visit their friends and to provide themselves with an outfit before proceeding abroad; and, if true, if he will explain to the House the reason of such refusal?
MR. GATHORNE HARDYI have been furnished with a report which states that every indulgence as regards leave, compatible with the interests of the Service, was extended to the officers of the 88th Regiment. It is true that the officer commanding refused the applications for leave from the 15th to the 30th April to two officers who only returned from leave in February, and 1269 who belonged to a detachment at Castle-bar, where their services were urgently required. They knew during the winter that the regiment was under orders for foreign service, and during their long leave they had abundant opportunity to have provided themselves with an outfit, and to have visited their friends. The action of the officer commanding was approved by the General Officer commanding the district.