§ MR. ARNOLD-FORSTER (Belfast, W.)I beg to ask the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether his attention has been called to the statement contained in the report of Major-General Hutton to the Canadian Government to the effect that a proposal has been, made by the Imperial Government that recruiting for the 100th Regiment (Royal Canadians) shall be open to British subjects in the Dominion of Canada, and that complete arrangements for carrying this out have been prepared; whether this statement was made by authority of the War Office; what steps, if any, have actually been taken in the direction indicated; and whether the early withdrawal from Canada of the 100th Regiment (Royal Canadians) is taken with a view of recruiting the regiment?
MR. POWELL WILLIAMSThe Secretary of State has not yet received Major-General Button's Report, and the War Office has not authorised any such statement as that referred to in the Question. We are in communication with the Dominion Government as to recruiting in Canada, but the arrangements, which I am glad to say are progressing satisfactorily, are not sufficiently advanced for any statement to be made. The early withdrawal of the 1st Battalion of the Leinster Regiment from Canada will be in the ordinary course of reliefs.