§ Lords Amendment considered.
§ Lords Amendment:
§ After Clause 11 insert new Clause A.: (Amendment of s. 163 (1) of the Army Act.)
§
(1) The following paragraph shall be added at the end of Sub-section (1) of Section one hundred and sixty-three of the Army Act:
'(k)Any document which would have been admissible in any proceeding under the Air Force Act by virtue of Section one hundred and sixty-three of that Act shall in like manner and for the same purpose be admissible in evidence under this Act.'
§ (2) This Section shall, notwithstanding any thing in Section fourteen of the Army (Annual) Act, 1904, come into operation both within the British Isles and elsewhere on the passing of this Act.
§ Motion made, and Question proposed, "That this House doth agree with the Lords in the said Amendment."
§ Mr. PRINGLEWill the Undersecretary for War explain this Amendment?
§ The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for WAR (Mr. Macpherson)Yes; this Amendment was inserted in another place. It is necessary to remove a difficulty which has arisen in connection with the creation of the Royal Air Force. In view of the transfer and attachment of soldiers to the Air Force and of airmen to the Army it was very desirable that any evidence admissible before courts-martial of the Air Force should be equally admissible before courts-martial in the Army. It is, briefly, an extension of the Documentary Evidence Act.
§ The remaining Orders were read, and postponed.
§ Whereupon Mr. DEPUTY-SPEAKER, pursuant to the Order of the House of the 13th February, proposed, the Question, "That this House do now adjourn."
§ Adjourned accordingly at Seven minutes after Eight o'clock