§ CAPTAIN NORTON (Newington, W.)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for War whether it has been brought to his notice that owing to the insufficient number of non-commissioned officers and men engaged in hospital duties at the Royal Victoria Hospital, Netley, these non-commissioned officers and men are frequently on duty for thirty-six hours at a time, and also that no regular night duty men, kept for night duty only, are employed there; and whether he will take the necessary steps to remedy this state of affairs.
* MR. J. POWELL-WILLIAMS (for Mr. WYNDHAM)The establishment of the Royal Army Medical Corps at Netley has been so depleted by the demands from South Africa that the men have not of late had the usual number of nights in bed; but additional men have been ordered from Aldershot, and a reinforcement is shortly expected from the Volunteer Medical Staff Corps, which will allow the men their proper rest. It is not customary to have a separate staff for night duty. The staff of female nurses is ample, and further assistance of that nature has been declined at present by the lady superintendent.