§ SIR ROBERT HOBART (Hampshire, New Forest)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether it is proposed to authorise by Order in Council large military manœuvres in the New Forest during the coming autumn; whether his attention has been drawn to the provisions of The Military Manœuvres Act, 1897, especially to Section 1 (2) which requires six months' notice to the county district and parish councils, wholly or partly within the specified limits, and in 1559 the case of the New Forest to the Court of Verderers, with three months notice, to be advertised in two local newspapers before the Order comes into force, together with an address from each House of Parliament to His Majesty, praying that the Order may be made; and further to inquire whether the term authorised forces in the Military Manœuvres Act applies to the Territorial Forces equally with the Regular Forces of the Crown.
§ MR. HALDANEIt is not proposed to make use of the Military Manœuvres Act in the New Forest in 1908. The General Officer Commanding in-Chief Southern Command has arranged in a friendly fashion with the Office of Woods and Forests for permission to hold manœuvres in and about the New Forest in the autumn, a plan which is much preferable to the costly and clumsy one of resorting to compulsory powers. As regards the last part of the Question the phrase "authorised forces" applies to the Territorial Forces as well as the Regular Forces.
§ SIR ROBERT HOBARTasked whether permission had been obtained from the Court of Verderers.
§ MR. HALDANEasked that the Question should be put down.
§ MR. ASHLEYasked whether the right hon. Gentleman had ascertained whether the manœuvres were viewed with favour by those who had common or grazing rights.
§ MR. HALDANEsaid he assumed so, otherwise permission would not be given.
§ MR. CLAUDE HAYIs it not the fact that the hon. Member for the New Forest is the chief holder of these rights?
§ [No Answer was returned.]