§ SIR WILFRID LAWSONasked the Secretary of State for War, Whether his attention has been called to a report which has appeared in the newspapers of a ruffianly outrage which is said to have been committed on defenceless women by a party of armed soldiers from the North Camp at Aldershot; and, what steps the Military Authorities propose to take in the matter?
MR. GATHORNE HARDY, in reply, said, he had ordered a telegram to be sent at once to Aldershot to ascertain the truth of the report, but he had not received a reply before coming down to the House. He had therefore no special information to give the hon. Gentleman on the subject. If such an offence had been committed, the offenders would, it was perfectly clear, be proceeded against in the Criminal Courts of the country, and it would not be till subsequently that any steps would be taken by the military authorities.