§ GENKRAL LAURIE (Pembroke and Haverford west)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether his attention has been called to the almost continuous employment of a large portion of the troops stationed at Cork Harbour as working parties or on fatigue duties; and whether, seeing that these troops are mostly young soldiers serving a three years' engagement, during which period continuous military training is required to make them efficient soldiers, he can see his way either to raise additional garrison regiments composed of thoroughly trained soldiers, to be utilised at this and similar stations, and who can undertake such duties, or to employ civilian labour on this work, and thus allow young soldiers to receive a proper training.
§ THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY TO THE WAR OFFICE (Lord STANLEY, Lancashire, Westhoughton)Administrative duties such as fatigues necessarily form part of a soldier's duties but the military authorities are quite alive to the necessity of ensuring that the utmost possible of a soldier's time is given up to the study of his profession, and instructions have been issued to reduce such duties to a minimum I am afraid that the alterations, suggested in the Question would prove too expensive.