§ COLONEL SIR HOWARD VINCENT (Sheffield, Central)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for War whether, having regard to the fact that the Reserves are never called up for training, and consequently not fit for the first line in war, arrangements can be made to enable a limited number so volunteering to keep up their Military and musketry training with volunteer corps, as supernumeraries to the establishment, the Government either defraying the cost of their uniform, or giving £1 a year towards it if they were certified as having attended not less than twelve drills and fired their class?
THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WAR (Mr. W. ST. JOHN BRODRICK,) Surrey, GuildfordIt is not admitted that men who have had seven years with the Colours are not fit to take their places in the first line, when mobilised. 1211 The Secretary of State has, however, under consideration the subject of training those men whose service in the Reserve exceeds five years.