§ SIR J. FERGUSSON (Manchester, N.E.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will state the number of mounted men sent or about to be sent from Australia and New Zealand for service in South Africa, specifying at whose cost they have been or will be sent, and giving particulars with reference thereto.
MR. J. POWELL-WILLIAMS (for Mr. WYNDHAM)The Australian colonies and New Zealand have sent about 4,000 men at their own cost. More will be provided at the charge of the Imperial Government.
§ SIR J. FERGUSSONThe hon. Gentleman has not answered my question. I want to know the number of mounted men about to be sent from Australia and New Zealand respectively.
MR. J. POWELL-WILLIAMSThe Secretary of State does not consider it desirable to give further details on this point.
§ MR. WILLIAM REDMOND (Clare, E.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he has telegraphed to Australia that the new Australian force would receive pay to the extent of 1s. 2d. per day while serving in Cape Colony and Natal, and 5s. per day while serving elsewhere; and whether he can state where besides Natal and Cape Colony it is intended to use these troops.
§ MR. BUCHANAN (Aberdeenshire, E.)I beg at the same time to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he has telegraphed to the Australian Premiers stating that the new Australian contingent will receive 1s. 2d. a day while serving in Cape Colony and Natal, and 5s. a day while serving elsewhere; and, if so, in what other country besides Cape Colony and Natal, or in what military operations other than those of the present war, it is intended to employ these forces.
§ MR. J. CHAMBERLAINIn answer to the first part of the question, I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Financial Secretary to 572 the War Office to a similar question on Thursday last.* The force will be paid at ordinary Imperial rates with, in certain circumstances, special local allowances which will make their pay up to 5s. per day. The force will be employed in any part of South Africa which the Commander-in-Chief may consider desirable in connection with the present war. This answer applies also to the question of the hon. Member for East Aberdeenshire.
§ MR. WILLIAM REDMONDWill the right hon. Gentleman indicate the circumstances which would raise the pay to 5s.?
§ MR. J. CHAMBERLAINClimate would be one.
§ MR. WILLIAM REDMONDWould not the circumstances of climate also apply to the British and Irish soldiers, and raise their pay to 5s. per man?
§ [No answer was given.]
§ MR. BUCHANANAre we to understand that this contingent can be employed except in South Africa?
§ MR. J. CHAMBERLAINIt is only engaged for service in South Africa.
§ MR. WILLIAM REDMONDIs it not a fact that the circumstance of climate affects the Australian troops much less than the British troops?
§ [No answer was given.]
§ MR. WILLIAM REDMONDYou give them 5s. a day, and Tommy Atkins only 1s. It's a swindle!
§ MR. HEDDERWICK (Wick Burghs)I beg to ask the Lender Secretary of State for War whether he can conveniently state the number of men furnished by each of the colonies, respectively, to our forces in the Transvaal.
MR. J. POWELL-WILLIAMS (for Mr. WYNDHAM)The numbers are approximately as follows:—Cape Colony, 15,000; Natal, 7,000; Canada, 2,820; Ceylon, 130; New South Wales, 1,800; Queensland, 810;South Australia, 340; West Australia, 230; Victoria, 500; Tasmania, 180; New Zealand, 730;
* See p. 372 of this Volume.573 India, 250—total, 29,790. Further contingents are being raised in Australia and New Zealand.