§ DR. THOMPSON (Monaghan, N.)To ask the Secretary of State for War if he is aware of the regulation which compels an officer of His Majesty's Army who is obliged on resigning his commission to serve for a certain number of years in the Militia, to subscribe in full to the mess subscription of the particular regiment to which he is appointed; and if, considering that the officer so transferred has already paid to the mess of the Line regiment and may have only a few years to serve in the Militia to complete his term of service, he will direct that such officer shall only pay a mess subscription in proportion to the
§ (Answered by Mr. Secretary Arnold-Forster.) In reply to the first part of the Question, the numbers of infantry recruited for the periods mentioned are as follows:—
§ further number of years he has to serve in the Militia.
§ (Answered by Mr. Secretary Arnold-Forster.) The question of granting this concession has been already considered, and it was decided that it was not possible to make it. The officers referred to are in effect making use of the Militia in order to enable them to retire voluntarily from the Regular Forces, and it would not be fair upon the Militia unit concerned that these officers should be relieved of the payment of their full subscriptions.