§ Bill to amend the law relating to the Reserve Forces, ordered to be brought in by Mr. George Wyndham and Mr. Powell-Williams.
§ SIR H. CAMPBELL-BANNERMAN (Stirling Burghs)Are we not to have any explanation of this Bill?
§ THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WAR (Mr. WYNDHAM,) DoverYes; I will give one. This is a Departmental Bill to effect two objects: first to relieve the taxpayer of a small and unnecessary charge; and secondly, to give a small indulgence to a small number of soldiers. Under Section 3 of the Reserve Forces Act the Reserve is defined as "forces within the United Kingdom"; consequently, under the Army Regulation Act it is laid down that every soldier who has served with the colours in India must be sent home at the public expense, even though he has formed ties in India which may require him to return by the next boat at his own expense. There are generally about ten such cases in the course of the year, and the Bill seeks to enable commanding officers to do legally that which they sometimes now do illegally.