§ Mr. CARR-GOMMasked the Secretary of State for War whether any county associations have been directed to take over the duties provided by the Territorial and Reserve Forces Act, 1907, in Section 2 (2) (e) of the Act, namely, the care of Reservists and discharged soldiers; and whether any county association has voluntarily undertaken these duties?
§ Mr. HALDANE:The Army Council has not yet assigned these duties to the associations because they feel that it is not desirable to burden them with fresh duties until the organisation of the Territorial Force is complete in all details and the administration of it has become more a matter of routine than it is at present. 1680W An offer to undertake this work was received from Derbyshire, but was not accepted for the above reasons.
§ Mr. HOHLERasked the Secretary of State for War whether he will reconsider the terms of the letter, 9 Gen., No. 1762 (C. 3), K. A. 3, 919/12, War Office, 18th December, 1909, addressed to the Secretary, Territorial Force Association for the county of Kent, with a view to increasing and of obtaining the sanction of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to the increase of the 2 per cent, of the total numbers of men borne at; each yard authorised to engage in the Territorial Force in time of peace?
The HON. MEMBER furtherasked whether, with a view to assisting the company of the Sussex and Kent Royal Garrison Artillery of the Territorial Force raised at Chatham, he could suspend, or obtain the suspension of, the operation of the letter 9 Gen., No. 1762 (C. 3), K. A. 3, 919/12, War Office, 18th December, 1909, addressed to the secretary of the Territorial Force Association of the county of Kent, which authorises the engagement of 290 of the total numbers borne in each yard, and requires that any excess of present numbers over the above percentage shall be decreased by wastage, seeing that the operation of this letter will be a loss to the company of twenty-seven noncommissioned officers and men before the next camp; and whether such suspension could be granted for three years, or some sufficient period, to enable other non-commissioned officers and men to be trained to replace those who will be lost under the operation of the letter?
§ Mr. HALDANE:The letter in question contains the terms of the agreement arrived at after considerable discussion with the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, and after reviewing the whole of the circumstances it is not held to be practicable to ask the Lords Commissioners to reconsider their decision.