§ MR. ASHLEYI beg to ask the Secretary of State for War with reference to the proposed Army manœuvres in the New Forest, in what form the commoners and the Court of Verderers of the New Forest have signified their friendly agreement to the proposals of the Army Council.
I beg also to ask the Secretary of State for War, with reference to the proposed Army manœuvres in the New Forest, by what means commoners of the Forest can obtain compensation for injury done by manœuvres conducted otherwise than under The Military Manœuvres Act, 1897.
§ MR. HALDANEIn reply to these questions I will give the House an account of what has taken place. The Commissioner in charge of the New Forest attended the last Verderers' Court on 16th March and laid before them the applications he bad received from the General Officer Commanding the Southern Division for holding manœuvres. At the desire of the Verderers one of these applications was declined, and the Commissioner then arranged to come down again with a representative of the War Department to discuss the arrangements for safeguarding the interests of the commoners and for payment of compensation for any damage which might be caused. Subsequently, the Official Verderer wrote to the Commissioner declining to meet him and the representative of the War Office on the ground that the proposed manœuvres 925 were unlawful unless held under the Military Manœuvres Act, 1897. The Commissioner is advised that this is a mistake and has renewed his proposal that he and a representative of the War Department should confer with the Verderers as soon as possible. Arrangements for manœuvres on a smaller scale have been made in this way year by year for many years past and have worked smoothly and satisfactorily. I am proposing to ask the Verderers to meet me shortly in order to discuss with them how best to settle questions of compensation and similar matters that may arise out of the manœuvres.
§ MR. ASHLEYWhat legal means are there for a commoner to get compensation against the Government, supposing the right hon. Gentleman does not hold these manœuvres under the Act of 1897?
§ MR. HALDANEWe have done it over and over again. We have made arrangements for that purpose. I am prepared to appoint a private committee on which both sides shall be represented to arrange these matters of compensation. I am in favour of settling these things amicably in connection with manœuvres, and no difficulties arise if good temper and tact are shown on both sides.
§ MR. ASHLEYIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the Act of 1897 was expressly passed in order to get rid of this trouble, and to give an expeditious and cheap way of assessing damages?
§ MR. SPEAKERThat does not arise out of the Answer. It is a matter of argument.