§ COLONEL ARBUTHNOTasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies, If he will either state or grant a Return of the number of Royal Colonial Naval Reserve men and Royal Colonial Naval Volunteers enrolled under the provisions of "The Colonial Naval Defence Act, 1865," in the Dominion of Canada, and in the Colonies of New South Wales, South Australia, Tasmania, Queensland, and New Zealand?
§ SIR MICHAEL HICKS-BEACHSir, I believe that none of the Colonies mentioned in the Question have availed themselves of the provisions of the Colonial Naval Defence Act; but in the Colony of New South Wales there is a force of 282 Naval Volunteers, and in New Zealand of 431, raised under local Acts. These numbers must, of course, be considered as the numbers of a force capable of expansion if required; and I do not doubt that they will be increased in accordance with the efforts being made by these Colonies to provide for their defence.