§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WAR (The Marquess of LANSDOWNE)My Lords, I beg to move the Second Reading of the Army (Annual) Bill. This is the Bill which Parliament passes every year for the purpose of keeping the Army Act in force. The Bill contains no now matter except in the third clause, which makes a slight alteration in the law. Under the existing law, when a deserter is apprehended, it is the custom to send to the War Office, whence instructions are given for the disposal of the deserter. We find that in many cases competent military authorities are accessible on the spot, and we, therefore, propose that power should be given to deal with such cases locally instead of referring them in all cases to headquarters. We hope this change will lead to the shortening of the period during which a deserter is detained, and also to a diminution of correspondence between the War Office and the Districts. I move that this Bill be read a second time.
§ Motion agreed to.
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WARI move that this Bill be committed.
§ Motion negatived.
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WARI move that the Bill be read a third time.
§ Motion agreed to.
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WARI now move that this Bill do pass.
§ Motion agreed to.