§ LORD BURGHLEYasked the Secretary of State for War, Whether he will allow those Regiments of Militia, whose recruiting is seriously affected by the new system of drilling men immediately upon enlistment, to return to the arrangement of calling all recruits up together for instruction before the annual training of their regiments?
§ SIR ARTHUR HAYTER (for Mr. CHILDERS)In reply to the noble Lord the Member for North Northamptonshire, I beg to say that the system of 1304 drilling Militia recruits immediately upon enlistment has only been one year in operation. Returns are being prepared of the total number of Militia recruits enlisted between the trainings of 1881 and 1882, as well as of those raised during the calendar year. The condition of the recruiting for all Militia battalions, both of those whose recruits train on enlistment and of those whose recruits do not, can then be compared. These points, together with all other matters connected with the Militia, will be submitted to the Secretary of State for War. But, at present, there seems no reason for altering the existing arrangements.
§ LORD BURGHLEYIn the meantime one regiment will have entirely disappeared.