§ MR. SMEATON (Stirlingshire)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War 1700 whether, seeing that there is a deficiency of forty-two men and sixteen officers in the Stirlingshire Volunteer Battalion compared with 1st November, 1905, and that this deficiency is due in great measure to the scarcity and inconvenience of rifle ranges, and seeing that all the landlords who have been asked to sell or let ground for rifle ranges have refused, he will take steps to increase the number of rifle ranges, and, in the event of landlords unreasonably refusing to sell or let the necessary land, he will warn them that, under The Militia Act, 1882, they may be displaced from their Deputy-Lieutenancies.
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for WAR (MR. HALDANE, Haddington)I have dealt very fully in my Answer to the hon. Gentleman on the 3rd instant with the question of rifle ranges. As regards the last part of his Question, the Militia Act, 1882, provides that a Lieutenant shall displace a Deputy-Lieutenant whenever His Majesty may think fit to signify His pleasure, but I am not prepared on present information to issue any warning such as the hon. Member suggests.