§ MR. HUMPHREYS-OWEN (Montgomeryshire)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for War whether if a sufficient amount of warm clothing to supply all the troops serving in South Africa is not provided by private benevolence, the War Office authorities will make good the deficiency.
§ *MR. WYNDHAMAn amount of warm clothing sufficient for preserving the health of the troops is supplied by the War Office, and I can assure the hon. Member that there will be no deficiency in that respect. Public benevolence has, however, contributed additional supplies with the view of enhancing the soldier's comfort. The War Office has taken some pains to discover and to publish descriptions of the articles which can best conduce to that end.
§ MR. COGHILL (Stoke-upon-Trent)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for War whether, in view of the appeal made by the War Office to the public to provide extra warm clothing for the troops in South Africa, the War Office will undertake that any articles sent out shall be expeditiously distributed immediately on arrival in South Africa.
§ *MR. WYNDHAMI must refer the hon. Member to my reply to his question of the 16th. I can only repeat that every effort will be made in co-operation with Mr. Gatliff to secure that the troops shall receive such comforts as expeditiously as the movements of the field forces permit.