§ 25. Mr. OUTHWAITEasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he can state the number of soldiers that the Governments of Australia, Canada, and New Zealand have publicly announced their intention to provide?
§ Mr. BONAR LAWThe mobilisation of 250,000 Canadian troops, including those already under arms, was authorised by the Dominion Government in October, and the Canadian Prime Minister has recently announced that the number is to be increased to half a million men. The Prime Minister of the Commonwealth estimates that by June Australia will have supplied some 300,000 men under arms. The Defence Minister of New Zealand has estimated that New Zealand will have sent about 36,000 men by the end of January, and reinforcements will be sent regularly.
§ Mr. HOGGEMay I ask if it is perfectly clear that these three-quarters of a million of men are entirely outside any of the figures we have already had in this House, and that they are in addition to the four million men we are now raising?
§ Mr. BONAR LAWThey are in addition to the men being raised by Vote of this House, but my hon. Friends will see that the three-quarters of a million are by no means in existence yet.