§ MR. GUY DAWNAYasked the Secretary of State for War, Whether any effort will be made before the coming Militia training to remedy the very unsatisfactory condition of that service, as regards the serious deficiency of officers in many regiments; and, whether, if such efforts should fail, there is any intention of giving extra pay to Officers in these regiments, to compensate them for the extra expense that will devolve upon thorn from having to divide amongst a small number of Officers these necessarily heavy expenses incident to a Militia, training, which are intended to be borne by the full complement of Officers?
THE MARQUESS OF HARTINGTONSir, I am now considering whether we are not in a position to grant the original number of commissions in the Army to Militia candidates — namely, 120 per annum. This will, I hope, have the effect of increasing the number of candidates for the Militia. Meanwhile the Militia Regulations empower commanding officers to fill vacancies during training by obtaining the services of officers of the Regular Army or of other 1019 Militia regiments. I can hold out no hope of extra pay being given.