§ MR. EDWARD MORTON (Devonport)I beg to ask the Undersecretary of State for War, whether he is aware that Mr. Savers, until lately a sergeant in the 2nd Royal Berkshire Regiment, now stationed at Devonport, was recently tried by Court Martial for changing with a corporal his hours of duty in charge of the guard, was found guilty, and reduced to the ranks; whether he is aware that Sayers was a non-commissioned officer for 10 years, that during a large portion of that time he was an instructor of recruits, and that since his degradation he has been compelled to drill with the recruits on the barrack ground for four hours a day; whether he is aware that at his trial by Court Martial the Court refused to allow Sayers to cross-examine witnesses as to credit; that, in contravention of Rule 82 of the "Rules of Procedure," the Court required questions put by him in cross-examination to be put in writing before 142 they were answered by the witness; and that the prosecutor was privately closeted in conference with the members of the Court whilst the prisoner was kept outside the door; and, whether he will direct inquiry to be made into these irregularities, and as far as possible remedy their effects?
§ * MR. BRODRICKPrivate Sayers was reduced to the ranks by sentence of a Court Martial for the offence of leaving his post when sergeant on gate duty. Sayers total service is less than nine and a half years, and he, was two and a half years a sergeant. There is no information as to his drilling with recruits since his degradation. The Judge Advocate General is of opinion that the proceedings of the Court Martial were regular, and no inquiry appears under the circumstances to be necessary.