§ Mr. PERKINSasked the Under-Secretary for War whether it is proposed, under War Office instructions, dated 5th February, that officers who have held the appointment of adjutant of a depôt since September last and whose names have appeared in the Army List as such are to receive only the allowance of 1s. 6d. a day now being paid to acting adjutants; whether such allowance is to commence only from 5th February; and, if so, whether he can explain why no allowance is to be made to them for adjutants' work done in many cases during the previous five months; and why these officers should be paid only 1s. 6d. a day instead of the usual rate of 5s. a day?
Mr. BAKERFive shillings a day is the rate of additional pay laid down in Regulations for the adjutant of a Cavalry regiment or an Infantry battalion; 1s. 6d. a day is the rate laid down for a Cavalry depôt, and is considered suitable also for Infantry depôts under present conditions. Prior to the instructions of the 5th February, no rate existed for an Infantry depôt. It is not the practice to antedate new grants in such cases.