§ Mr. NEWMANasked the Under-Secretary of State for War, whether his attention has been called to the inadequate accommodation afforded to the units of the Territorial Force in the districts of Edmonton and Tottenham by the Drill Hall at present in use; whether it is intended to totally rebuild this hall, although some £700 has been recently spent in repairing it; whether he is aware that a site was secured in a more advantageous position by public subscription some years back, and that, owing to the decision of the War Office to rebuild on the old leasehold site, the land acquired by public subscription will now have to be sold?
§ Colonel SEELYThe Middlesex Territorial Force Association have recently reported that the Drill Hall at Tottenham is beyond repair, and a scheme of reconstruction is now under consideration. About £700 have been spent in repairs and additions to the premises generally, but, with the exception of a new floor to the Drill Hall, which will be available under the reconstruction scheme, very little has been expended on the Drill Hall itself. A site was secured in 1901 for £1,500 by persons interested in the local Volunteers and the Middlesex County Council agreed to find two-thirds of the cost if the remaining one-third were raised by public subscription. Sufficient money was not obtained by subscriptions, and the arrangement with the county council fell through when the Territorial Force came into being. In 1909 the association proposed to buy the site for £1,500 and erect new headquarters. This scheme was considered too expensive, and564W it was decided to retain and repair the existing premises which are held by the association on a lease, which does not expire till 1963, and under which they were already liable for-dilapidations.