HC Deb 18 December 1893 vol 19 cc1598-9
MR. A. WILLIAMS (Glamorgan, S.)

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether, in view of the fact that some thousands of men will be transferred this year from the ranks to the Reserve, he will consider the desirability of preventing them being thrown upon the unemployed labour market during the winter, by allowing them to extend their service with the Colours or by offering them some slight inducement to do so?

THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WAR (Mr. CAMPBELL-BANNERMAN, Stirling, &c.)

For military reasons it is necessary that the Reserve should be maintained in strength. If time-expired soldiers are not discharged the Reserve loses in immediate strength, and the soldiers who are to constitute its future supply are not enlisted. On the other hand, when a soldier is discharged, a recruit is enlisted in his place, so that there is no increase in the number of men competing for civil employment.

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