§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILLI beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for War if he will explain on what ground the examination of Militia officers for commissions in the Army, which it was announced several months previously would be held last March, was cancelled about a fortnight before the appointed time, and may the announcement that a Militia examination for commissions in the Army will be held next September be regarded as definite; and will he say whether the War Office authorities will be prepared to give definite information as to the holding of this examination, having regard to the fact that parents sent their sons at some expense to army tutors to prepare for an examination which was announced to take place in March last and was not held, and to prevent the impression that the examination announced for next September will not be held, and that commissions will be obtained without examination.
§ The following question on the same subject also appeared on the Paper:—
§ MAJOR RASCH (Essex, S.E.)To ask the Under Secretary of State for War whether he is now in a position to state whether Militia candidates doing duty with their embodied battalions will be forced to pass a competitive examination in September; and, if so, in what subjects they will be examined.
§ *MR. WYNDHAMPerhaps my hon. and gallant friend the Member for the South-east Division of Essex will allow me to reply to his question at the same time. 270 The competitive examination announced for last March was not held because the number of candidates who entered their names was less than the number of commissions offered for competition.
§ MAJOR RASCHAs the hon. Gentleman has not answered the last paragraph of my question, I will put it again tomorrow.