§ MR. LEHMANN (Leicestershire, Market Harborough)asked the Undersecretary of State for the Colonies whether he could confirm or deny the statement that at the previous day's Imperial Conference an incident occurred which caused Sir Robert Bond to leave the room in indignation, complaining that gross humiliation had been inflicted on him and on the Colony he represented.
§ MR. CHURCHILLMy attention has been drawn to a report, in to-day's Daily Mail, of the proceedings at the Conference yesterday. I cannot undertake, as a general rule, to correct misstatements appearing in journals of that class and character; but as I learn that this particular report has been cabled fully to the Colonies, it has become necessary for me to say that it is from beginning to end a baseless and impudent fabrication, which bears not the slightest resemblance 954 in substance or form to anything that took place at the Colonial Conference. And I will further permit myself to observe that it is a matter of surprise to me that a person who has lately been created a Peer of the realm should be willing to allow newspapers under his control to employ, for political objects, methods of such transparent mendacity.
§ MR. C. J. O'DONNELLHas not the right hon. Gentleman seen the statements with regard to India which are equally false?
§ [No Answer was returned.]