§ LORD WAVENEYasked the Under Secretary of State for War, Whether any portion of the fund credited to the public arising from fines for drunkenness in the Militia Service had been or would be applied for the benefit of soldiers of the Militia generally, as provided by Militia Orders, 1878, sec. 108? According to the terms of a Militia Order, he said, sums credited to the public were to be formed into a general fund, and to be applied, under the direction of the Secretary of State, to objects tending to the benefit of soldiers and of the Militia generally. In the Regular Army good-conduct gratuities and badges were given. In the Militia the non-commissioned officers were deserving of very considerable credit for the efficient performance of their duties, which were incomparably more difficult than those of corresponding officers in the Regular Army. Good men had been known to decline the stripes rather than face the difficulties. It was important to encourage such men, and to recognize their services in a substantial, as well as in an honorary manner. He had always thought it would be a difficult matter to apply the fines in a way that should be altogether satisfactory, and he now pointed out a destination for the money which would be satisfactory to the country at large.
§ VISCOUNT BURYsaid, during the early part of this year a Committee sat at the War Office to consider the way in which this fund, amongst others, should be administered; and that Committee reported that the accumulated amount, in their opinion, should be given over to the stock-purse funds of the Militia regiments—so much to each company—the amount per company to be settled annually. The recommendation of that Committee had been approved by the War Office; but before it could be acted upon the confirmation of the Treasury was required, and the matter was still under their consideration. The Report was sent to them in April, so that they might shortly expect that the destination of the fund would finally be settled. As yet none of it 1298 had been expended for the benefit of the Militia; but the fund would be applied to the Militia regiments as soon as the Treasury approval had been received.