§ Lieut.-Colonel HILDERasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if it is the intention that the new British gendarmerie recruited for Palestine shall take the place of the present Army of Occupation, or is it to be a supplementary force to keep order; and will he consider, in order to preserve the rights of the Palestiners, some arrangement by which the rank and file of the gendarmerie should be recruited from the local population with British officers in command?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLThe functions of the new British gendarmerie will be to maintain order. Its presence will enable the Army of Occupation to be reduced in strength. There is already in existence in Palestine a local gendarmerie of456W similar functions and status. This force is recruited entirely from the inhabitants of the country and is commanded by Regular officers of the Army. In these circumstances the second part of the hon. Member's question does not arise.