§ COLONEL PILKINGTON (Lancashire, Newton)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether his attention has been drawn to the closing of the rifle range at Altcar by order of the General Officer Commanding the North-Western District, which will seriously inconvenience all the Volunteer corps in the Liverpool district, the majority of whom have no other range, and cannot, therefore, perform the stipulated course of musketry for the current year unless the range is re-opened at once; and, if so, whether he will state what prospect there is of the range being available this summer, if any; or, if it is to be closed this year, whether it is likely to become so permanently.
§ MR. ARNOLD-FORSTERThe General Officer Commanding reports that the interruption of the use of the range, which is a private one, has been caused by the inability of the landlord to come to terms with the landlord of the property behind the targets; that the War Department has intervened to promote the continued use of the range; but that firing has been temporarily suspended pending the conclusion of arrangements for safety. He anticipates, however, that the range will be reopened at an early date.