§ COLONEL NOLANasked the Judge Advocate General, If more than one day's pay can now be stopped from a soldier for an absence of less than twenty-four hours, when the soldier is not detailed for special duty; and, if so, if he will state what is the minimum time for which two days' pay can be stopped when the soldier is not for duty; and, whether any change has lately been made decreasing the minimum of the time for which two days' pay can be stopped.
§ THE JUDGE ADVOCATE GENERAL (Mr. OSBORNE MORGAN)Sir, in the case put—namely, that of a soldier not detailed for duty:—(1), one day's pay can be stopped for absence for six consecutive hours; (2), the minimum time for which two days' pay can be stopped is 12 consecutive hours, provided the absence is partly in one day and partly in another; and, lastly, the minimum of the time for which two days' pay can be stopped was decreased by Art. 166 of the Royal Warrant of 1882, framed under sec. 140 (2) of the Army Act, 1881. For instance, under the Act of 1879, a soldier absent from 10 p.m. to, say, after 10 a.m. the next day was liable to forfeiture of pay for one day only; whereas he is now, under the combined effect of the Act of 1881 and the Royal Warrant, liable to two days' forfeiture.