HC Deb 29 July 1872 vol 213 cc45-6
COLONEL TOMLINE

asked Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, Whether his attention has been called to the following passage in the Second Report of Mr. Fremantle, the Deputy Master of the Mint:— The pressing demand for Imperial Coin rendered it impossible for the Mint to undertake a further Canadian Coinage during the autumn; but, with their Lordships' approval, the agent of the Canadian Government in this Country was able to make arrangements for its execution by Messrs. Heaton and Son, of Birmingham, under the supervision of this Department; whether he is not misinformed when, on the 11th of April, he repeated to this House his assurance that the recent Silver Coinage for Canada was executed without the knowledge or authority of the Home Government; and, whether he will place upon the Table of the House Copies of all Correspondence between the authorities of the Mint and any public Company or private person on the subject of the Gold, Silver, and Bronze Coinage during the two years ending on the 1st day of July, 1872?

THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER

said, he should have had great pleasure in answering the fourth Question which the hon. and gallant Gentleman had put to him in the present Session on this important subject; but he found it impossible to do so in consequence of a difficulty which he would now state to the House. The hon. and gallant Gentleman asked him— Whether he (the Chancellor of the Exchequer) was not misinformed when, on the 11th of April, he repeated to this House his assurance that the recent Silver Coinage for Canada was executed without the knowledge or authority of the Home Government? On consulting Hansard, he found what he said was that— The recent silver coinage for Canada was executed with the knowledge and without the authority of the Home Government. Of course, as he never made the statement alluded to in the Question, he could not admit he was misinformed at the time he made it. If he complied with the next request of the hon. and gallant Member, he would have to place on the Table of the House the whole Correspondence of the Department during the last two years. That, of course, he must decline to do.

COLONEL TOMLINE

said, he had in his hand a copy of The Times report, according to which the right hon. Gentleman said the Canadian coinage had been executed without the knowledge of the Home Government.