§ COLONEL WARING (Down, N.)asked the Secretary of State for War, Whether his attention has been called to the great irregularities in the position as to pay and allowances between the non-commissioned officers of Militia Staffs serving on Army engagements and those on Militia engagements; and, whether he can hold out any hope that the claims of the latter to some amelioration of their condition in cases of long and meritorious service will be considered?
§ THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY (Mr. HERBERT GLADSTONE) (Leeds, W.)The 815 intention is that all sergeants of the Militia Permanent Staff, as vacancies arise, shall be men serving on their Army engagements. Only about 700 sergeants serving on their Militia engagements remain out of a total of 4,567. These latter, undoubtedly, have a lower rate of pay than the former; but they have neither had the former's past Army service, nor share their liability to be removed to active Army duty whenever required. I may add that the Militia sergeants receive extra pay of 3d. a-day when employed at the depôt on Army duty, and that their pensions have been lately improved.