§
Motion made, and Question proposed—
That this Bill be read a second time."—(The Secretary of State for War.)
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WAR (The Marquess of LANSDOWNE)My Lords, the only changes in the law which this Bill makes are those contained in clause 4 and the following clauses. Under the present law, the Secretary of State has powers to make orders for the transfer to workhouses and lunatic asylums of lunatic soldiers and their wives and families. He has also power to make orders for the maintenance of soldiers, their wives and families, and their illegitimate children. The change which we propose to make is that of transferring the power of making these orders from the Secretary of State to the general officer commanding the district. We recommend that change as consistent with a policy which we have adopted of transferring to local military authorities, where it is possible to do so consistently with public interests, functions which are now, as we believe unnecessarily, exercised at headquarters. The 5th clause removes doubts which have arisen as to the effect of the Madras and Bombay Armies Act, passed in 1893. Your Lordships may remember that under that Act the powers of the Commander-in-Chief of Madras and Bombay were transferred to lieutenant-generals, who are placed in command of districts. It was intended to transfer to lieutenant-generals of districts the powers possessed by the commanders-in-chief of those districts, but, by an accident, that transfer was not completely made, and the generals of districts have not, under the law as it now stands, power to reduce or commute a sentence, to make orders as to deserters, or to reduce noncommissioned officers. The clause remedies that omission, and restores this power to the general officers of districts. I think these are the only points I need 9 explain to your Lordships, and I beg to move that the Bill be read a second time.
§ Question put.
§ Bill read a second time.
§ Standing Orders Nos. 39 and 45 dispensed with.
§ Bill read a third time.