§ MR. ASHLEYI beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether in view of the fact that only twelve subalterns not already serving in the Militia six months ago have been appointed to the Special Reserve of officers during the last six months, he will state what steps he propoes to take to remedy the shortage which exists.
§ MR. HALDANEThe Regulations for the Special Reserve of officers have only just been approved and will shortly be published. It is hoped that when they are circulated and the terms of service are thereby made known that the vacancies will gradually be filled.
§ MR. ASHLEYasked if the right hon. Gentleman was aware of the difficulty of going into training at the period when these gentlemen were going up for their Oxford or Cambridge examinations?
§ MR. HALDANEreplied in the affirmative.
§ MR. ASHLEYI beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether he will consider the expediency of doing away with the practice of gazetting officers on probation to the Special Reserve, in view of the shortage of 1,595 subalterns in that force.
§ MR. HALDANEAs I have already explained to the House, the conditions of entry into the Special Reserve of officers are already as low as the General Staff, having regard to efficiency, consider expedient. It is hoped that the publication of the Regulations will have the desired effect of gradually filling up the vancancies.