LORD BURGHLEYsaid, he rose to ask the Secretary of State for War, Whether 331 a Militiaman absenting himself without leave does, in addition to the loss of his day's pay, necessarily forfeit a portion of his bounty; and, if such is the case, whether it may not be advisable to modify this portion of the Militia Act, so that the interference with the bounty should be left to the discretion of the Commanding Officers of the several Regiments?
§ MR. SIDNEY HERBERTsaid, the rule now was that if a militiaman absented himself during the whole time of training he forfeited his whole pay, if he were only absent for a portion, it was left to the discretion of a Board of Officers, under the sanction of the Commanding Officer, to decide whether he should forfeit the whole or a portion only. He did not think it necessary, therefore, to make the alteration of the law suggested by the noble Lord.