THE MEW ZEALAND FARCES.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 August 1917, Page 2

THE MEW ZEALAND FARCES.

HOW THEY' AHE ACCOUNTED WBL(By Wire.—(Parliamentary Reporter.) Wellington August 21. "Members have been asking for a stock' taking of the New Zealand forces," said Sir James Allen, "and in order to make the position clear I have prepared figures showing the position on or about August 17th. Tbo figures are not quite wmplete, because I have not yet received replies to certain cablegrams. On August 17 we had 14,081 men in England, of'.-; whom 0353 were at Sling Camp and available to go to the front. They were held as reinforcements in case of heavy casualties. Some of the other men were in hospitals and convalescent homes. Then, we had at the front, including the division and tunnellers, 24,320 men. The reinforcements held at Etaples, in France, as an immediate support for the division, numbered 31*14 men. The available reinforcements in England and France, therefore, numbered fewer than 40,000 altogether. The casualties within the few days covering the Messiaes battle were close upon 6000. I do not know -what' weije the casualties in the recent fighting, ibut it is, clear that the reserve is not 1 too large. Most 6f the reinforcements may be absorbed by this time. Then, we had at that. time. 3211' men in Egypt and Palestine. I cannot say how many men were in hospital in France as the figures have not yet reached me. The number of men returned to New Zealand was 10,986. The dead, missing and prisoners', numbered 8853, troops on the water amounted to between 0000 and 7000, and tfiat accounts for over 71,000 men. The number sent from New Zealand up to that time wag about 74,000. The figures do not inelude the men in hospital in Prance, the Samoan force, the nurses, the Flying v Corps, men on the naval ratings, wifeless men, etc., nor the men on leave in England, There is no surplus to foe accounted for.