§ MR. POLLARD-URQUHARTsaid, he wished to ask the Under Secretary of State for War, Whether the Regulations for promotion in the Militia recommended by the Royal Commission of 1859 are to be observed; and whether a gentleman who has held a Commission in a Militia regiment, after he has retired from it, and the vacancy caused by his retirement been filled up, can, under any circumstances, be reinstated in the regiment in a rank superior to that which he formerly held, when there are officers in the regiment competent by age, position, and efficiency for promotion to that rank?
THE MARQUESS OF HARTINGTONsaid, in reply, that Lords Lieutenant were di- 1473 rected by a circular from the War Office to observe in the promotion of officers of Militia, as a general rule, the principle of seniority. As, however, the Militia was a local force, depending very much on the support of persons of influence in the county, the Lords Lieutenant were permitted, on a full statement of the reasons which might have induced them to depart from that rule, if such reasons appeared satisfactory to the Secretary of State, to give promotion on other grounds than that of strict seniority. As the latter part of the question evidently referred to some particular case, if the hon. Gentleman would state in what regiment the promotion had taken place which be alleged bad given dissatisfaction, he would be happy to afford him all the explanation in his power on the subject.