§ LORD TRURO,in moving for a Return showing the number of courts of inquiry held in each year in the Volunteer Force since its establishment, said, he moved for this information, because he thought it would be interesting to the public, to the Volunteers themselves, and to the authorities, to know the nature of the offences charged against Volunteers, and what had been the conduct of those who had been employed as instructors of the Force. He believed such a Return would be highly creditable to the character of the Force since its commencement.
§ Moved, That an humble Address be presented to Her Majesty for Return showing the number of courts of inquiry held in each year in the volunteer force since its establishment; the number of volunteers of all ranks, the number of adjutants, and the number of instructors in each year on which such were held, and the several offences charged.—(The Lord Truro.)
§ VISCOUNT BURYsaid, that if the noble Lord wished for information on any specific point, he would be glad to give it to him if it was within the reach of the War Office; but these courts of inquiry were held on the authority of the officers commanding Volunteer corps —there were no records of them at the War Office. The Force had now been in existence 20 years, and to procure the information asked them the Department would have to apply to some 293 different corps, and ask them to go back on their records for that period. The Returns asked for would be inconvenient and expensive, if not impossible, and he hoped the House would not grant them.
§ LORD TRUROsaid, he only wanted the Returns of courts of inquiry ordered by the War Office.
§ Motion (by leave of the House) withdrawn.