HC Deb 13 March 1884 vol 285 cc1500-1

(16.) £1,000, Consular Services.

(17.) £5,485, Suppression of the Slave Trade.

SIR MICHAEL HICKS-BEACH

said, he was unable to understand how the charge of £4,510, on account of the Aden and Zanzibar Steam Service Subsidy, could fairly be comprised in this Vote.

An hon. MEMBER

asked, if the Committee were to understand that this Vote had been brought into the Supplementary Estimates under its present heading because it had been left out of the place which it regularly occupied in the Post Office Vote?

MR. COURTNEY

said, there was a note appended to the original Estimate showing that the Estimate referred to a service of a temporary character. The contract for the Mail had been advertised, and tenders were sent in for the first part of the financial year, and this Supplementary Estimate made up the service for the rest of the year.

SIR MICHAEL HICKS-BEACH

said, there were, no doubt, many charges in other Votes which had been placed there on similar grounds. He hoped the subject would be considered, and the Vote placed amongst the Post Office Con.

LORD EDMOND FITZMAURICE

pointed out that the benefit of the service went to the suppression of the Slave Trade—not to the Postal Service.

MR. SIDNEY HERBEET

Then, in future, the Vote will come under the heading of Suppression of the Slave Trade?

LORD EDMOND FITZMAURICE

Yes; under the Estimate.

Vote agreed to.

(18.) £1,207, Tonnage Bounties, &c. and Liberated African Department.

(19.) £8,000, Subsidy to Castle Mail Packets Company.

SIR MICHAEL HICKS-BEACH

said, he thought this was the first time the Vote appeared in the Estimates, and he trusted the Committee would have some explanation on the subject from the hon. Gentleman the Secretary to the Treasury. He remembered that there was a question of establishing the service when he was at the Colonial Office; but there were difficulties as to the amount of subsidy to be given, as well as some doubt of the usefulness of the service. So far as he was aware, no contract had been laid upon the Table of the House with regard to the service in question; and, therefore, he considered that some information should be given before the Vote was passed.

MR. COUETNEY

said, that these contracts were only laid on the Table of the House after the commencement of the financial year. The Service had been approved by the Treasury, as well as by the Colonial Office, and other Departments.

MR. WHITLEY

Was there any contract or agreement for this?

MR. COURTNEY

No. There was a temporary arrangement.

Vote agreed to.