§ Considered in Committee.
§ (In the Committee.)
§
New Clause.
(Marine Officers may sit on Courts Martial on Marines afloat).
The provisions of the Army Act, enabling Marine Officers to sit on Courts Martial on Marines ashore, shall in future be extended to Courts Martial on Marines afloat.—(Sir John Pope Hennessy.)
§ —brought up, and read first time.
§ Question proposed, "That the Clause be read a second time."
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WAR (Mr. E. STANHOPE,) Lincolnshire HorncastleI have been in communication with the hon. Member (Sir John Pope Hennessy) with regard to the Amendment he has proposed, and I have explained to him it is not possible for the Amendment to be inserted in the Army Annual Bill: it ought to be proposed on the Naval Discipline Bill. I have given the hon. Member for North Kilkenny an undertaking that when my noble Friend the First Lord of the Admiralty brings in the Naval Discipline Bill he will consider favourably the proposal of the hon. Member.
§ MR. MARJORIBANKS (Berwickshire)I also have been in communication with the hon. Member for Kilkenny. He explained to me what the Secretary of State for War has now said, but he 1261 did not at all agree that the proposition of the right hon. Gentleman was satisfactory. We would be willing to allow the Bill to be taken now provided the right hon. Gentleman will agree to either bring in a short Bill himself, giving effect to the proposal, or say that the Government will support a Bill brought in by a private Member.
§ MR. E. STANHOPEIt is impossible for me to give that undertaking considering the state of public business. I will communicate with my noble Friend and see if he is willing to undertake that task.
§ MR. SHAW LEFEVREI think in that case the Bill had better not be proceeded with, especially as it is already passed ten minutes to 7.
§ Question put, and negatived.
§ Bill reported without Amendment, to be read the third time to-morrow.