§ MR. RAIKESasked the Secretary of State for War, Whether any steps have been taken to appoint any Officer to the command of a Company in the Anglesey Militia, which has been without a Captain who could take part in the training of the Regiment for the last three years; whether it is the fact that a Captain in the Army on half-pay, who was lately Adjutant of his Regiment, applied for the vacant Company in March last, with the approval of the Colonel commanding the Regiment, and was refused; and, whether he is prepared to justify the course followed in this case by the Lord Lieutenant of Anglesey?
§ MR. CARDWELLSir, the formal resignation by which the vacancy has been made was sent to the War Office by the Lord Lieutenant on the 17th of April. The Lord Lieutenant made an alternative recommendation, either of the officer referred to in the Question or of the senior lieutenant. The reply from the War Office has been to direct that the senior lieutenant shall be examined, and if found properly qualified he will be promoted. I am not aware of anything which should lead me to express 1114 an opinion adverse to the course which in the exercise of the discretion reposed in him by law the Lord Lieutenant has thought it proper to pursue.
MR. OWEN STANLEYsaid, that if the hon. Member before putting this Question had communicated with him, (the Lord Lieutenant), he would have convinced him it was unnecessary to do so. It was the most unusual course for an hon. Member to attempt by putting a Question to obtain a censure from the Secretary of State for War on the conduct of the Lord Lieutenant in such a case without previously communicating with him. That an officer was allowed to retain his appointment without having taken part in the duties of the regiment for three years rested with the lieutenant colonel of the regiment. Acting as Lord Lieutenant, he had privately requested that officer, Captain Roberts, to send in his resignation, and he did so; but the lieutenant colonel declined to accept it. But in order that there should be no doubt upon the question, he had requested the Secretary of State for War to institute all necessary inquiries to see whether he was in any way deserving of censure.