§ MR. FETHERSTONHAUGH (Fermanagh, N.)To ask the Secretary of State for War if his attention has been directed to the fact that colour sergeants serving on the staff of Militia battalions in the Infantry receive a lower rate of pay than colour sergeants serving with Line battalions, and does this rule prevail as to Artillery colour sergeants under like circumstances; and whether, seeing that Infantry colour sergeants are posted to Militia staffs for long service and good conduct, and that their duties on the Militia staff are at least as onerous and responsible as in Line battalions, he will consider the question of making their pay equal to Line colour sergeants.
(Answered by Mr. Secretary Haldane.) The relative position, as regards the total emoluments between Line and Militia 813 colour sergeants, remains unchanged. Before the issue of the amendment to the Royal Warrant in February last, colour sergeants of Infantry and Militia battalions drew the same amount of pay, viz.: 3s. a day, but the Line colour sergeants, on account of their also performing the duty of keeping the company accounts, receive 1s. a day extra duty pay. When the compilation of the company pay list was transferred to the Army Accounts Department the extra duty pay was reduced, 6d. a day only being allowed for keeping the pay and mess book. As, however, it had for some time been considered that the ordinary pay of colour sergeant of a Line battalion was inadequate, the rate was raised from 3s. to 3s. 6d. a day. It is not considered that the duties of a Militia colour sergeant are as onerous and responsible as those of a Line colour sergeant, and it is not proposed to make any alteration in the pay of the former. In the Artillery, the company sergeant major, who holds the equivalent position to a colour sergeant of Infantry, is not charged with pay duties and receives the same pay whether serving with the Militia or Regular Army.