§ CAPTAIN NORTON (Newington, W.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War if he can state whether the scheme for the formation of the new localised short-service regiments is now definitely abandoned; and, if not, when it is proposed to take steps to bring the scheme into operation.
§ CAPTAIN NORTONI beg also to ask the Secretary of State for War if he can state whether the general-service Army, consisting of men enlisted for nine years with the colours and three with the reserve, explained by him in the House of Commons on July 14th, 1904, and in the 918 Memoranda dated August 2nd, 1904, is now intended to be a temporary measure.
§ *MR. ARNOLD-FORSTERAs I have already explained, this scheme of short-service enlistment has not been abandoned, but only postponed until the nine years enlistments have proved sufficient to provide the men necessary to furnish the Indian drafts for the next two years and to stiffen the battalions. The scheme of enlistment for nine years forms part of the whole scheme of Army reorganisation together with the short-service scheme, but has been temporarily applied to all infantry enlistments until the infantry has been rehabilitated in the manner above mentioned.