HC Deb 19 February 1919 vol 112 cc912-3
20 Major EDWARD WOOD

asked the Under-Secretary for the Colonies whether His Majesty's Government is prepared to provide the necessary financial assistance to enable advantage to be taken of the offers made by the Dominion and State Governments overseas for the settlement of ex-Service men from the United Kingdom who desire to settle in the Dominions; and (2) whether His Majesty's Government are prepared to consider the suggestion that ex-Service men desiring to settle in the Dominions overseas might be granted their discharge in the country to which they wish to go?

The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for the COLONIES(Colonel Amery)

The reply to the first and third of my hon. Friend's questions is that His Majesty's Government have under their consideration the whole question of the grant of State aid to ex-Service men desirous of settling in other parts of the British Empire, and hope shortly to be in a position to make a statement upon the subject.

Major WOOD

In regard to question 22, would the hon. Gentleman consider the desirability of taking into account what I believe is a good precedent of time-expired men serving in India taking their discharge in Australia?

Colonel AMERY

Certainly.

21. Major WOOD

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether His Majesty's Government have received an offer from the Government of Queensland to provide land for the settlement of 9,000 ex-Service men and their dependants in their territory, subject to the grant of financal assistance in the shape of a loan of £470,000 for the building of a short line of railway and £500 per head for each settler; and whether His Majesty's Government are prepared to take advantage of this and any similar offer?

Colonel AMERY

As regards the second question, no official offer of the kind referred to has been received from the Government of Queensland. His Majesty's Government will naturally give most careful and sympathetic consideration to any proposals for the settlement of ex-Service men put forward by any of the Oversea Governments.