OUR SUPPLY OF TROOPS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2503, 2 July 1915, Page 4

OUR SUPPLY OF TROOPS

A POINT CLEARED UP BX THE HON. JAMES ALLEN An interesting reference to New Zealand's position with regaxd to our offer of troops to tho Imperial Government was made in the House of Representatives yesterday afternoon 1 by the Minister of Defence, in reply io Mr. G. W. Russell. Mr. Russell drew the Minister's attention to the cable message from Melbourne published yesterday, to the effect that the Imperial Government had appealed for every man, with or without equipment, and had emphasised that in a further communication from London, Lord Kitchener had said he would find arms for them. 1 Mr. Russell pointed out that this communication was so\ different to the cablegram that was published about a fortnight ago in New Zealand, which he believed was addressed to His Excellency tho Governor, that he thought it desirable to ask tho Minister of Defence whether there was any communication to him, and whe' tlier the Impertal Government was prepared to accept from New Zealand more men than were now being sent? He understood the Government had a large number of enlistments, and men had been sent to their homes and told their services would be called upon when required, and apparently New Zealand was being asked only to do a certain amount, while if tho cablegram from Australia was to be relied upon, the Imperial Government would be prepared to accept every man sent to London, .fio did not see that there could be any . differentiating between the men sent bv Australia and New Zeaalnd. The Minister of Defence (the Hon. Jas. Allen): "The New Zealand Government lias had no such telegram. I do not know whether the Minister of Defence in Australia has had the cablegram or not, but I presume it is correct, as it is in the newspapers." So far. he continued, as the enrolments wore concerned in New. Zealand, lie proposed to givo_ full particulars to tho Defence Committee, It was correct to say that some weeks ago they communicated with tho Imperial authori-. ties, and suggested that if they did. want more men they would have to assist us with tho supply of rifles and munitions. A reply came to that that if New Zealand sent the men. to England taey would arm tliom with rifles. A reply was sent to that to the effect that it would bo much more preferable to us if they were to forward the rilios here, and let. us train our own men. The reason for that was that if wo were to send men to train in England they would receive Imperial rates of pay, and Imperial pensions, and tbero would be a serious conflict between tiio New Zealand and British sections. - The Imperial Government had accepted, a suggestion made from here, and with regard to tho extra thousand men who were to go into camp, if we supplied them with rifles now, they would fill up the blank in the course of some months' time. We had so arranged our reinforcements that wo could keep them going for a definite period with the supply,of rifles in New Zealand. If wo inoreased the rate it would bring nearer the time when we would havo no rifles in New Zealand. Iu view of that he had deemed it wise to say that if more men were wauted tho Imperial Government-must guarantee to fill up the blanks in the rifles we wero retaining for our Territorials and reinforcements. How many rifles they would be able to supply later on was not definite, but. we had commenced by using our reserve supply for the 1000 men who wore being sent to bring up tho Mounted Reinforcements to the same rate as the Infantry Reinforcements.Mr. C. J. Pmt asked how did New Zealand compare with Australia? Mr. Allen: "Of course, I do not.want to make any comparison with Australia, Canada, or any other country, but may I give this positive assurance to the House, and I will give totals to tho Defence Committee: New Zealand stands out miles ahead of Australia or Canada in v the number of troops sent, and'tho number of troops in training. (Hear, hear./ ,