Major DAVIESasked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether his attention has been drawn to the waste of manpower in connection with young soldiers' battalions in this country; whether, in a battalion 1,090 strong, they have 285 instructors, including employed men; and whether this waste could be avoided by running these young soldiers' battalions on the lines of schools of instruction and not on the lines of battalions?
§ Mr. MACPHERSONThe establishment of warrant officers and non-commissioned officers is based on the minimum number required for the training and administration of the battalion, a larger number of non-commissioned officers being required in a young soldiers' battalion than in other battalions, as the A. IV. boys in the former are too young to allow of non-commissioned officers being found from within their ranks. Similarly the number of men allowed for employments is based on the minimum number required for this purpose; and, as it is essential that the special training in young soldier battalions should not be interrupted by using the boys under training for employments, the number allowed for this purpose is higher than in regimental Reserve battalions. The strength of these battalions is considerbaly higher than that stated in the question. It is not considered that the conversion of these battalions into schools of instruction would result in any saving of personnel.