§ MR. MACFIEasked the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies, If there is any truth in the statement currently made by the newspapers as to utterances, which it was thought expedient to suppress, of a member of the Government of Canada, with regard to the connection between the mother Country and the Colony; and, if he does not think it expedient to contradict a rumour, also current, as to a secret understanding on that subject between the Government of this Country and that of Canada, the circulation of which has caused remark?
§ MR. KNATCHBULL-HUGESSENWith respect, Sir, to the first part of the hon. Member's Question, we have no official information upon the subject; and, in fact, no information at all beyond that conveyed to us by the newspaper paragraph in question. I am, therefore, unable to give any explanation. With regard to the second part of the Question, I confess that I should not have thought it expedient to contradict a rumour which appears to me to be too absurd to require contradiction. But since the hon. Gentleman asks the Question, I answer, out of respect to him, that there is no truth whatever in the rumour to which he has alluded.