§ MR. H. A. HERBERTsaid, he would beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether it be true that a review of the Report of the Inspectors of Salmon Fisheries appeared in "The Times" and "Daily Telegraph" of the 14th and 16th April instant respectively, being a fortnight before such Report was circulated amongst the Members of this House, or could be obtained by other newspapers or the public generally, and whether this has been done with the sanction of the Home Office; and, if not, whether he will cause inquiry to be made how this Report was so partially distributed, and by whom?
MR. BRUCEsaid, in reply, that he believed it was true that the Report did appear in the newspapers mentioned on the 14th and 16th instant, which was previous to its being laid on the Table. That was done without the sanction or knowledge of the Home Office. He was informed that a copy of the Report was forwarded to the newspapers by the Inspectors of Fisheries, on the understanding that no use would be made of it until the Report was published. It certainly was an irregular proceeding, and he should take measures to see that it was not repeated.