§ MR. W. THORNEI beg to ask the Secretary of State for War if he is aware that under the Territorial Army Forces Act, the 6th Battalion Royal Highlanders, formerly the 4th Volunteer Battalion Royal Highlander; Perth, under the scheme should be 1,000 strong and. only about 400 men have joined, and this only for one year; if he is aware that Lieutenant Colonel Campbell, in the absence of Sir R. D. Moncrieffe, Baronet, at camp on Wednesday, 15th July, paraded the men and, in the course of an address, asked them to support the new Army scheme, and at the close called upon those willing to serve for four years to step forward, and out of 179 men on parade only 10 signified their intention of serving the four years term, and that number, consisted entirely of non-commissioned officers; and whether, in view of the previsions of the Territorial Army, Act, he intends taking any action to prevent such methods of attempting to get men to join for a long term.
§ MR. HALDANEI am not aware of the incident mentioned, but on the facts as stated in the Question I do not consider that the action of Lieütenant-Colonel Campbell was in any way open to reproach. On the contrary I think that such action on the part of the Commanding Officer, whether fruitful or not, is much to he commended. In other cases similar appeals have led many men to come forward.