§ MR. J. H. YOXALL (Nottingham, W.)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for War, in view of the facts that, on the promulgation of the warrant of 1st July, 1881, the rank of warrant officer was granted to all bandmasters then serving, but to those schoolmasters only who had served for 12 years before that date, although prior to the warrant in question all Army schoolmasters were senior in rank to bandmasters; that the rank of warrant officer is now granted to all bandmasters on appointment, but to schoolmasters only after eight, years' service; and that schoolmasters under present conditions must often remain in the fourth class of warrant officers till the end of service, frequently for a period of 20 years; whether he will consider the propriety of extending to all Army schoolmasters the opportunity for promotion to higher grades which is now available for warrant officers of the Royal Artillery, Army Service Corps, and Army Ordnance Corps on satisfactorily completing a specified period in one rank?
§ THE UNDER SECRETARY or STATE FOR WAR (Mr. BRODRICK, Surrey, Guildford)The position of Army schoolmasters has only recently been improved, and the Secretary of State is not prepared to reopen the question.