§ MR. ARTHUR O'CONNOR (Donegal, E.)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for War whether the regimental sergeant-major of a Militia regiment sent to South Africa has the same duties to perform as the regimental sergeant-major of a Line battalion; how many Militia battalions have been sent to the seat of war, and whether their regimental sergeant-majors have previously been in the regulars; whether the regimental sergeant-major of a Line battalion is not a warrant officer with pay and allowances as such; and whether the regimental sergeant-majors of the Militia will be placed upon the same footing.
§ MR. WYNDHAMThe reply to the first paragraph is in the affirmative. Thirty Militia battalions have been sent to South Africa; their sergeant-majors have previously held lower rank in the Regular forces. The regimental sergeant-major of a Line battalion is a warrant officer with pay and allowance as such; the Militia sergeant-majors are on embodiment put on the same footing as 437 regards pay and allowances, but their normal duties are not such as to justify the grant of permanent warrant rank.