§ MR. LABOUCHEREI beg to ask the Secretary of State for War if he would explain why, although the whole of the pay for pensioners issued on 1st October, 1892, was audited by 11th March, 1893, the pay for the Army Reserve issued on the same day was not audited till the middle of May, 1893; and whether it would be possible to adopt a plan by which the accounts of one quarter are audited before the issue of pay for the following quarter, in view of the fact that the existing plan causes great inconvenience, and sometimes even loss of money, to officers engaged in the issue of Army Reserve pay?
§ MR. WOODALLThe difference of the dates of the completion of the audits of these two classes of accounts was due to exceptional circumstances; the examination now goes on pari passu. There would be some difficulty in adopting the plan suggested by the hon. Member, owing to the date at which the accounts are received from the Post Office, by which Department the payments are made; but inquiry will be made as to whether the rendering of these accounts cannot be expedited.