HC Deb 19 July 1875 vol 225 cc1724-6

[Progress 12th July.]

Bill considered in Committee.

(In the Committee.)

Clause 32 (Enlistment of men to serve for six years).

COLONEL DYOTT

, in moving, as an Amendment, in page 11, line 13, to leave out "six," and insert "five," said, it was desirable to keep up the complement of the Militia; but while they were, under the former system, called upon to serve practically only four years out of five for which they were enlisted, they would now by this Bill be called upon to enlist for six years for the same bounty which they received under the former system. In other words, they would be now called upon to serve five and a-half years of the six before they could be re-attested; and the consequence was, that many of them would refuse to be re-attested. He found when he commanded a Militia regiment that they always obtained their full complement of men; but it would not be so under this Bill. The hon. and gallant Member concluded by moving the Amendment.

CAPTAIN HAYTER

seconded the Amendment.

MR. GATHORNE HARDY

quite agreed with the hon. and gallant Mover and Seconder of the Amendment that there was reason for dissatisfaction on the subject; but it was all owing to the change that had been made in the old system. The reason that six years were adopted in the Bill was to assimilate the service of the Militia to that of the regiments of the Line, whose term of enlistment now was six years. He hoped his hon. and gallant Friend would not press his Amendment proposing to reduce the term from six years to five years, and he hoped that in the next year the Militia would be placed on a more satisfactory footing.

COLONEL BRISE

expressed himself satisfied with the explanation of the right hon. Gentleman, and hoped his hon. and gallant Friend would not press his Amendment.

SIR HENRY HAVELOCK

also hoped that the Amendment would not be pressed to a division after what had been said by the Secretary of State for War.

MR. CAMPBELL-BANNERMAN

expressed himself in favour of the term of six years in preference to five.

Amendment negatived.

Clause agreed to.

Clauses 33 to 35, inclusive, agreed to.

Clause 36 (Training of Militia recruits).

MR. SULLIVAN

moved that the Chairman report Progress and ask leave to sit again.

MR. GATHORNE HARDY

opposed the Motion.

CAPTAIN NOLAN

said, he would assent to the Bill being proceeded with if the Government would promise not to take any of the Irish Bills on the Paper at that Sitting.

SIR MICHAEL HICKS-BEACH

said, that no opposed Bill would be taken.

MR. BUTT

said, he would advise his hon. Friend to withdraw his Motion to report Progress, if the right hon. Baronet would consider all Irish Bills to be opposed.

Motion, by leave, withdrawn.

Clause agreed to.

Clauses 37 to 49, inclusive, agreed to.

House resumed.

Committee report Progress; to sit again upon Thursday.

House adjourned at half after Two o'clock.