The Militia Enlisting bill, was then read the third time; and on the question being put that the bill do pass;
§ Earl Spencerrose, not oppose the passing of the bill, but merely to enquire of the noble secretary of state what arrangement was intended with respect to a matter which his lordship conceived to be highly important, but for which no provision was made in the present bill, that he could observe; namely, with regard to the officers now attached to the several regiments of militia, but who would be superfluous or supernumerary, when those regiments should come to be reduced to their intended limitation; his object was, to be informed whether they were to be continued on full, or reduced to half-pay.
§ Lord Hawkesburyanswered, that the bill was not intended to affect the pay of any officer now attached as such to any regiment of militia, in consequence of the reduction, so long as the militia continued embodied.
§ Earl Spencersaid, his only difficulty wag how such supernumerary officers couldlegally continue to receive full pay after the reduction of the militia to its original standard. Such a principle he was sure must be contrary to the spirit of the original Militia law; and without a special clause in the bill (which certainly might be amended any time in the course of present session) he did not see how that principle could be dispensed with.—The question being put, "that the bill do pass," the house divided;
Adjourned.
Contents 55 Non-contents 40 — Majority for the Bill 15