§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILLI beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether the appointment of Deputy Judge Advocate-General held by the late Sir John Scott has been filled up by the appointment of a salaried legal official obliged to give his whole time to the duties; if so, who is this gentleman; when, by whom, and for what period was he appointed, whether the acting official is under any such obligation, or is at liberty to practise as a junior barrister; on what terms and for what period is he employed; and whether he is the only paid legal adviser in the Department, or whether the services of any additional lawyer to assist in the Department have been obtained during the illness or since the death of the Judge Advocate-General.
§ MR. ARNOLD-FORSTERThe post of Deputy Judge Advocate-General has been filled up by the temporary appointment of Mr. E. Bonus. He is not at present obliged to give his whole time, owing to the fact that when he was appointed changes were in contemplation and it was considered that under these circumstances he should not be deprived of his practice. He was temporarily appointed by the late Sir F. Jeune, with the concurrence of the Secretary of State for War, in March, 1904. He is allowed to practise as a junior, subject to doing the work of his office. His salary is £1,000 a year. He is the only paid legal adviser in the Department. The arrangement was a temporary one.
§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILLasked whether Courts-martial were left to the revision of a junior barrister practising in the Courts every day, and were not subject to the revision of the House.
§ MR. ARNOLD-FORSTERThey are not subject to the revision of this House and never have been.
§ SIR HENRY FOWLERasked whether the work of revision did not require that the official should give his whole time.
§ MR. ARNOLD-FORSTERI think it does. We intend to appoint at an early date an official who will give his whole time.