The Sun.
London, England, 1863-06-23 00:00:00

PRISON MINISTERS BILL.

The Duke of SOMERSET moved the third reading of
this bill with certain amendments.
After some debate, the bill, with fresh amendments,
was read a third time.
BLEACHING AND
MENDMENT DYEING WORKS ACT
A BILL.
This hill was read a third time and passed.
VOLUNTEERS BILL.

Earl DE GREY and RIPON moved the second reading
of this bill, the provisions of which lie briefly explained.
The report presented by the Royal Commissioners appointed
last year pointed out that certain alterations in the law were
necessary, and that the laws relating to and regulating the
volunteer force should be consolidated, in order that volun-
teers should have the entire law referring to their force em-
bodied in one statute. The present bill was therefore merely
a re-enactment and consolidation of the old volunteer laws.
It was necessary that such an enactment should be passed
now that there were some 160,000 volunteers embodied ; but
it was not deemed necessary to make any important altera-
tion in the conditions of their service. In the first place, the
bill altered the terms upon which the volunteer would be
permitted to rank as efficient or effective. The old law
laid down as a single condition the specific number of days
on which attendance should be given at drill to constitute
efficiency. Under the new bill power would be given to re-
gulate and define the details which should constitute effi-
ciency by order in Council. But, to provide sufficient pub-
licity for the conditions thus dii ected, notice should be given
r.o Parliament of those orders in Council. The bill next
provided for the appointment and regulation of adminis-
trative battalions. With regard to one part of the volun-
teer force, the present law was very inadequate and
izeffecgVe. It was the insufficiently defined portion of
adjutants' And sergeant-instructors who were in the army,
and who wets drawing pay, but who were permitted to
join the volunteer force for the purpose of instructing and
rendering it effective. The simple mode of extending
the Mutiny Act to .those adjutants and sergeant-instruc-
tors was proposed by the bill. The measure also ex-
tended and facilitated the mode of providing lend for
rifle ranges and practice ground for volunteers. The
Royal Commission had recommended that certain portions
of the Government grant should be made available for the
purpose of obtaining rifle ranges and practice grounds, and
these recommendations had been attended to, and a plan
founded upon them had been embodied in the bill. Some
objections had been raised against portions of the till, which
really embodied no new principle, being nothing more than
re-enactments of old regulations. It would not be neces-
sary for him to go into any consideration of these portions
at present, as the bill would be examined by detail in com-
mittee, and he would then be prepared to meet any objec-
tions that might be raised. He was happy to say that all
the reports represented the volunteer force as being in a
highly satisfactory condition. He believed that the system
recommended by the Royal Commissioners would be found
well calculated to place the force on a sound and permanent
basis. It was not intended to be a substitute in any manner
for the regular army. (Hear, hear.) But it could be made
a most important auxiliary to the regular troops, and he
hoped to see it become a permanently established force in
the country. (Hear, hear, hear,) '1 he noble lord concluded
by moving the second reading of the bill.
The Duke of RICHMOND wonid not at that period of
the evening offer any opposition to the second reading of
het_ :411, the more especially as the noble earl had promised
a.Zeet all recommendations to be made for the improve-
en oftthe nteasnre in committee. But there was one clau-e
to which he objected—the 35th—which gave power to the
lord-lieutenant of
any one.. a county to mark out a rifle range over
grounds he pleased. He did not know whether
the noble earl had anye definition of the word " park" ap-
pended to the bill. thought such a definition would be
necessary, as some parks were enclosed completely.
Viscount HA.RDINGEthought that the volunteers
ouc a
ht to be made acquainted
possible with the
provisions of the bill, and with as soon a
Orderi would become
a in Council regu-
latingao the conditions upon which
effecrive. He approved of the plan whereby
that of by Act
to be established by Order in Council instead
f Idiant theth legal
proficiency
was
of Parliatnent• He had always maintained
conditions of attendance at drill were in..
num-
ber days required being too few. He approved of tehe9.
clause in the bill, which enabled commanding officers;
to
(litanies volunteers, for unless they kept up the power of
the
commanding, officers, it would be quite impossible to main-
tain discipline. Courts of inquiry, at which no oaths could
be administered, would be utterly impract'cable. He „p.
proved ot the bill.
Viscount MELVILLE objected to both the 35th and the
21st clauses. He thought they ought both to be expunged
from the bill.
Lord TRURO, before the bill was read a second time,
should express thanks, on behalf of himself and the volun-
teer force, to the Government for the great care with which
the bill had been drawn up. He was perfectly assured that,
on the whole, it would give the highest satisfaction to the
volunteers. He disapproved, however, of the clause placing
the adjutants and sergeant instructors under the Mutiny A.ct.
He feared that the volunteers would lose the services of a
great many valuable men under the operation of that clause,
and no benefit could be derived from having them brought
under the Mutiny Act. With regard to the power of dismissal
Wrauted to commanding officers, if their lordships knew the