§ House in Committee (according to order).
§ [The Earl of ONSLOW in the Chair.]
§ Clause 1.
§ THE EARL OF GALLOWAY moved to amend sub-section (1), which provides that any part of the Regular Militia when embodied shall, notwithstanding any enactment to the contrary, be liable to serve in any place out of the United Kingdom, and accordingly to be carried or ordered to go out of the United Kingdom, by the addition of the following words: "It being understood that, should they thus be carried or ordered out of the United Kingdom, a bounty of not less than thirty days pay and allowances shall be given to every officer, non-commissioned officer, and man on embarkation." He said he made no apology for asking their Lordships to consider this Amendment, because the Bill as it stood was likely to have a very deleterious effect on recruiting for the Militia. Ho was quite certain that the whole difficulty could be met by a system of bounties. It so happened that he could give their Lordships a concrete case from his own experience. At the end of the Indian Mutiny there was a mutiny of European troops. The Government had taken them over without giving them a bounty, they having previously been enlisted for the East India Company's service. On the matter being gone into it was found that the troops were in the right and that an injustice had been done. The consequence was that the Indian Government were put to the expense of sending the whole of the troops in question back to England. After they had had a short holiday at home, the Government offered them a bounty, which they ought to have done in the first instance, and the result was that nearly the whole of the men re-engaged, the Government then having to incur the expense of conveying them back to India, He understood that at the present moment when Militiamen were asked to volunteer for foreign service a bounty 88 was given, but it was not given as a matter of right as it should be, but as a favour. His Amendment would secure that when they were called upon they should receive as a right the moderate bounty of a month's pay and allowances. Objection might be raised to the Amendment on the ground that it involved a money payment, and was therefore a breach of the priviliges of the other House; but this could be easily met by an undertaking on the part of the Government that when the Bill reached the House of Commons they would introduce an Amendment with this object. Such a provision would, he was convinced, prove a great advantage in recruiting, and would be an act of common justice.
§
Amendment moved—
In Clause 1, page 1, line 8, after the word 'Kingdom' to insert the words it being understood that, should they thus be carried or ordered out of the United Kingdom, a bounty of not less than thirty days pay and allowances shall be given to every officer, non-commissioned officer, and man on embarkation.'" (The Earl of Galloway.)
THE UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WAR (The Earl of DONOUGHMORE)My Lords, I can assure the noble Earl that I am entirely sympathetic with the objects which have impelled him to move this Amendment, but I think he rather under-estimates the value of the present system. By an Army Order made in 1900, any Militiaman embarking for South Africa or any place outside the United Kingdom, received a bounty of £1 on embarkation. That Army Order has not been repealed, and I think it fully meets the view of the noble Earl. We also recognise the claims of the officer. Officers in the late war received a gratuity of £100 for each year of service abroad, and Reserve officers received the same grant. Therefore I think it will be admitted that we can and do already carry out the wishes of the noble Earl without the necessity for legislation. The noble Earl says that the bounty under the Army Order of 1900 is given as a favour and not as a matter of right. I cannot follow him in that definition. As long as this Army Order remains in existence the bounty will be given as in the past, and therefore I hope the noble Lord will not see any necessity 89 to press his Amendment. I do not want to take my stand purely on a technical objection, but I cannot believe that such a provision as this is permissible in a Bill introduced in your Lordships' House. I do not wish to in any way belittle the privileges of your Lordships' House, but it seems to me that this is essentially an Amendment which should emanate from the representatives of the people. I hope that in the circumstances the noble Earl will not press his Amendment.
§ THE EARL OF GALLOWAYexpressed the hope that the noble Earl would take care that the intention of the Government was made known to the recruiting sergeants.
THE EARL OF DONOUGHMOREI should think recruiting sergeants would be fully aware of this Army Order. They are generally alive to anything that helps them to collect recruits. I will have inquiries made into the matter, and if there is any reason to suspect that they are not fully aware of the Army Order, I will have it brought to their notice.
§ THE EARL OF GALLOWAYwithdrew his Amendment.
§ Amendment, by leave of the Committee withdrawn.
§ Clause 1 agreed to.
§ Remaining Clause agreed to.
§ Bill reported without Amendment.
THE EARL OF DONOUGHMOREMy Lords, this is a very short Bill, with only one operative clause. It does not involve any complicated question of drafting, and I hope, therefore, the House will consent to negative the Standing Committee.
§ Moved, "That the Standing Committee be negatived."—(The Earl of Donoughmore.)
§ On Question, Motion agreed to.
§ Standing Committee negatived; and Bill to be read 3a on Thursday next.
§ House adjourned at twenty minutes before Five o'clock, till To-morrow, half-past Ten o'clock.