§ MR. DODD (Essex, Maldon)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War 352 whether he is aware that soldiers upon the march pass very frequently through Braintree, and that during the past summer they have been billeted no less than eight times upon the licensed victuallers in that place, causing them considerable loss; and whether, when next the opportunity of revising the rates of payment to be made for soldiers occurs, he will consider the advisability of allowing a higher rate than 1½d. for breakfast, and of increasing the 4d. per day for lodging and attendance for those places where the billetting is of unusually frequent occurrence?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WAR (Mr. CAMPBELL-BANNERMAN,) Stirling, &c.From its position Braintree is liable to be used as a halting place for troops passing to and from stations in the Eastern District; and from an accidental circumstance connected with the reliefs of the year, which is not likely to recur, a quite exceptional number of billets has taken effect in the present year. As to the billetting rates, they were revised, after full consideration, in 1892, and I am not aware of any general complaint.
§ MR. BARTLEY (Islington, N.)I should like to ask whether it is not a fact that the question of the rates for billeting was raised in the summer, when the Army Bill was under discussion and closured at about 4 o'clock in the morning?
§ MR. CAMPBELL-BANNERMANreplied that the fact that the subject was raised by the hon. Member did not prove that there was any general complaint.