§ Sir H. NIELDasked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether, in relation to the case of Captain W. J. Chilcott, quartermaster and acting adjutant of the South Irish Horse, he is aware that, as no county associations existed in Ireland, quartermasters of Irish Horse have had to do the work which in England is performed by Territorial Associations; that the War Office overlooked this contingency when their letter of 15th August, 1912, was sent out, and that in the absence of the adjutant of the regiment a War Office authority existed, which authorised the quartermaster to do the duty and receive the additional pay and allowances for that duty, which amounted to, approximately, 15s. 5d. per diem, or £687 11s. 8d. for the period in question; and what is the reason for discriminating between regiments and allowing the cost of carrying out the same duties for a similar period in the other regiment of Special Reserve, namely, the North Irish Horse, the sum of £800 in pay and allowances, while offering £75 as an adequate payment to make for 2½ years' service to quartermaster and adjutant of the corresponding force employed in Southern Ireland?
§ Mr. J. LAWSONWith regard to the first two parts of this question, I am aware that quartermasters of Irish Horse acted as secretaries of the finance committees of their regiments, and received an allowance for so doing, under the War Office letter quoted. I am not aware, however, that they performed the work done by county associations in England, or that there was authority during the period, to which I understand the hon. Member to refer, for paying Captain Chilcott as adjutant. With regard to the last part of the question, I am not aware of any intention to discriminate between the two regiments referred to, and I consider that the £75 offered to Captain Chilcott was a sufficient remuneration for such duties as he had to perform at a time 725W when his regiment was in a state of suspended animation, prior to formal disbandment.