§ MR. RADCLIFFE COOKE (Newington, W.)asked the Secretary of State for War, Whether, by the Regulations for the Militia, paragraphs 377 and 378a, subaltern officers of Militia are permitted to attend a course of instruction at the School of Musketry, Hythe, only with a view to their qualifying as musketry instructors of their respective battalions, and captains of Militia only with a view to their appointment as instructors upon certified statements that no subalterns are available; whether the effect of these Regulations is to limit the number of Militia officers who have been through the Hythe course to 945 one per battalion at most; and, whether the Government will consider the advisability of altering the present Regulations, so as to permit Militia officers to undergo a course of instruction in musketry at Hythe without any of the limited conditions above-mentioned?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE (Mr. E. STANHOPE) (Lincolnshire, Horncastle)As both the accommodation and the instructional staff at Hythe are limited, and the requirements of other services than the Militia have to be considered, the restrictions on the number of Militia officers instructed are substantially as stated in the Question; though they would not be enforced whenever there might be additional room available. The effect has not been to limit the number of Militia officers who have been through the Hythe course to one per battalion, as this number is exceeded in many battalions, and in one no less than eight officers hold musketry certificates.