§ Major GLYNasked the Secretary of State for War in what manner and by what approximate date it is intended to carry out the disbandment of the 12 British battalions; whether the property of the officers' and sergeants' messes of those battalions will be conveyed at Gov- 246W ernment expense to the regimental depots s for safe custody; and whether the band instruments of those battalions will be t available for the use of the 1st and 2nd battalions of those regiments?
§ Sir R. SANDERSIt is anticipated that the disbandment of those battalions which are in the United Kingdom or en route thither will be completed within two months and that of the remainder within the current year, and I hope that the terms affecting all concerned will be announced very shortly. The property of the messes, if retained for regimental purposes, and if within the regulated limits, will be sent to the depots at the public expense. Band instruments which are public property will be returned to store or otherwise disposed of in the public interest; any that are private property will be dealt with at the discretion of their owners.