MILITARY LANDS ACT (1892) AMEND- MENT BILL. (Hansard, 15 May 1896)

§ MR. LOUGH
expressed the hope that some explanation would be given as to the objects of the Bill. He thought the arrangement was that Fridays would be devoted altogether to Supply and no other business taken.

§ THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WAR (Mr. BRODRICK,) Surrey, Guildford
was understood to say that he had already stated to the House that the Bill affected a very small question. Its object was to enable Volunteer corps under proper safeguards to borrow money for the provision of ranges and the erection of necessary buildings, and it carried out the recommendations of a Committee appointed by both sides of the House.

§ MR. J. CALDWELL (Lanark, Mid)
was of opinion that the Bill went much further than the hon. Gentleman had indicated. Its whole object, indeed, was to confer upon County Councils the power of providing money for the purposes of these Volunteers and at the expense, necessarily, of local ratepayers. One of the provisions of the Bill stated that the Council of a county borough might, at the request of one or more Volunteer corps, alter or enlarge any building or permanent work, and power was given to the local authority to borrow money for the purpose of the erection of any building or permanent work. They did not object to Volunteers having drill halls and rifle ranges, which were necessary for their efficiency, but it was questionable whether they ought to go so far as was proposed by this Bill. He, of course, did not object to the provision of drill halls and rifle ranges for Volunteers, but he held that localities ought not to be made to pay for providing them.

§ MR. BRODRICK
pointed out that the Bill was merely a Bill to amend the Act of 1892.

§ MR. CALDWELL
contended that the present Measure extended the powers conferred by that Act. The expenditure under this Bill should be provided for out of Imperial funds, and localities ought not to be burdened with it. He moved that the Bill be read a second time that day six months.

§ MR. HERBERT LEWIS,
in seconding the Amendment, said that it was clear that the powers which would be conferred under Clause 2 of the Bill 1504 were very wide. This clause sanctioned the borrowing of money by localities for the erection, alteration or enlargement of any building or permanent work required for the purposes of a Volunteer corps. The powers proposed to be given were of a very wide and extensive character. The purposes for which this expenditure was said to be necessary were Imperial purposes, and the forces in respect of which the expenditure was to be incurred were really Imperial and not local. Therefore, a burden of this kind ought to be charged on Imperial funds. There were many hon. Members who took considerable interest in this Bill, who were not present on that occasion. This Motion for the Second Reading had come upon the House as a surprise, for hon. Members had been under the impression that Fridays were to be reserved for Supply up to midnight. He did not think that the House would do right in committing itself to the Second Reading of this Bill in the absence of so many Members who took special interest in the subject. The Measure involved the adoption of a new principle. What precedent was there in legislation for treating Volunteer corps as regiments that for certain purposes might be regarded as merely local forces? He objected strongly to the very general words used in the 2nd clause of the Bill.