§ MR. MARRIOTTasked the Secretary of State for War, Whether his attention had been called to the great difficulties experienced by and the excessive cost entailed upon the authorities at Brighton in acquiring land for the recent Volunteer Review; and, whether, in consideration of the great importance of the Volunteer Force, and the great advantage of such Review to it, the Government would take steps to facilitate the compulsory temporary acquisition of land for such purposes, with proper provisoes for the reasonable compensation of those whose land was taken?
THE MARQUESS OF HARTINGTONSir, my attention has been called, by a communication which the hon. Member has addressed to me, to the difficulty experienced by the local authorities at Brighton with regard to this subject. It does not, however, appear to me a matter in which it would be possible for the War Office to interfere. The War Department has in its own possession admirable ground for the furtherance of a Volunteer Review at Aldershot, within a convenient distance of the Metropolis. If the local authorities at Brighton are anxious to have the Review continued there it is incumbent upon them to show that they have sufficient space available; and I do not think it would be desirable for the War Office to give them extended powers to enable them compulsorily to acquire land for that purpose.