MOTION FOR AN ADDRESS. (Hansard, 24 July 1883)

THE EARL OF LIMERICK

, in rising to move that an humble Address be presented to Her Majesty for Return by battalions of the number of sergeants wanting to complete Militia permanent staffs; and to call attention to the difficulty now experienced in obtaining properly qualified sergeants to serve on the permanent staffs, and in obtaining a sufficient number of volunteer sergeants, said, he disclaimed any intention of imputing blame, and observed that his reason for bringing forward the subject was the increasing difficulty of obtaining efficient non-commissioned officers for the Staffs of Militia regiments, and because the discipline and efficiency of the Militia depended on the discipline and efficiency of the permanent Staff. Formerly there were different sources of supply. There were sergeants who had served in the Army, there were pensioners, and there was a certain number who, though they had never been sergeants in the Regular Army, had proved their efficiency in the Militia itself. But now the supply was limited to one source, and it was found that those who were recommended for the Militia were not so good as formerly. Many of them were inefficient, worn out, or not very steady. Judging from his own experience, and from what he had heard, he had come to the conclusion both that there was an insufficient supply of noncommissioned officers, and also that the class was not so efficient as formerly. It was to be hoped that the noble Earl might he able to consider the question, and to take steps to remedy the evil of which he complained.

THE EARL OF MORLEY

said, that, as far as he could judge from the Reports received at the War Office from various Militia officers, there was no reason to complain either of the number or quality of the supply of the permanent Staff of the Militia. Formerly, among the permanent staff of the Militia regiments were pensioners who had completed 21 years' Army service. Now, all the Militia permanent Staff was to be composed of men actually serving in their Army engagement. The object of the changes that bad been made was to insure a more efficient class of men on the permanent Staff of the Militia, and also to place them in such a position that they should be available for Army and other duties at the depots of the regiments when the regiments were not out for training. The noble Lord need not be afraid that the supply would run short, because they had power, under the Army Discipline Act, to make provision against such a contingency. The supply was not short, nor was it likely that it would run short. The noble Earl was well aware that the Annual Returns of the Militia would give all the information, and more than he required, up to the date of the last training, and the Annual Returns for this year would be published as soon as possible; and unless the noble Earl was very anxious on the subject it would be better not to press his Motion. With regard to the Militia sergeants, who were not on the permanent Staff, there was, no doubt, great difficulty in obtaining suitable candidates, and he was sorry the noble Earl was not prepared with any suggestion on the subject; but the whole matter was receiving the most careful attention of the 'War Office, who recognized the importance of the subject, and who were endeavouring to take measures to correct the deficiency at present existing among the ordinary Militia sergeants.