CLAUSE 3. (Hansard, 7 June 1898)

§ MR. WARNER

This is a point that has been put by my right honourable Friend the Member for Leicester, that it is an evasion of the system which has always been held to be part of the constitution of this country, of adding a number of the men to the Army each year. If this is carried in its present form, any number of men may be taken without the vote of Parliament in any year, and I think that is quite unnecessary. There is never any difficulty in getting a vote for the increase of the forces when needed, and I do not see why this clause has been inserted to do away with the constitutional system. That system has existed for a long period, and has worked well, and I hope that the Government will strike this clause out, as it does not have any effect upon the working of the Bill. Practically speaking, they never have their full numbers, and it would be practically possible to work this Bill without this clause.