§ 25. Mr. PETHICK-LAWRENCEasked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the Bill imposing conscription on adult males in Kenya has been finally allowed by the Colonial Office; whether under it the oath, of allegiance to the King is excluded from the terms of servivce; what is the estimated number of persons to whom it will apply; and what is the number of persons in the Colony who petitioned against it"?
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GOREI understand the hon. Member to refer to the Defence Force Ordinance which imposes an obligation to serve in the Force upon able-bodied male British subjects of pure European descent of over 18 and under 50 years of age. In that case the answer 611 to the first two parts of the question is in the affirmative. I have already asked the Governor to report the total number of men likely to be enrolled in the new Force. I was informed by the Acting Governor that there were 1,397 signatories to the only petition that had been circulated in the Colony against the Bill.
§ Mr. PETHICK-LAWRENCECan the Under-Secretary tell us whether in the original drafts of this Measure the oath of allegiance to the King was included; and what were the considerations which in the opinion of the Government justified them in agreeing to a Measure from which this oath is expunged?
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GOREIt is quite true that as originally drafted the oath of allegiance was in. The matter was referred to the Committee of Imperial Defence here, and they advised us that it would be contrary to precedent, as it does not agree with our own military service Acts. It was unsuitable; and the Government had no option but to delete it.
§ Colonel WEDGWOODIs it not the case that these 1,300 signatures against this Measure represent fully one-tenth of the whole white population of the Colony?
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GOREYes, it it about one-tenth.
§ Mr. PETHICK-LAWRENCEIs the analogy in regard to our own military service Acts at all complete? This is a matter of conscription.
§ Mr. SPEAKERIt is a matter of argument.