§ COLONEL ARBUTHNOTmoved an Address—
For Copies of Official Reports on Australian Defences, by Sir W. F. D. Jervois and Colonel Scratchley, R.E.; and of Correspondence relating thereto between those Officials, the Governments of New South "Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Queensland, Tasmania, New Zealand, and the Colonial Office.The Papers referred to had been laid before the Colonial Legislature, and had been published and commented on in the Colonial newspapers; and he protested against the principle that Papers connected with Imperial subjects presented to the Colonial Parliament should not be presented to the Imperial Parliament.
§
Amendment proposed,
To leave out from the word "That" to the end of the Question, in order to add the words an humble Address be presented to Her Majesty, praying that She will be graciously pleased to give directions that there be laid before this House, Copies of Official Reports on Australian Defences, by Sir W. F. D. Jervois and Colonel Scratchley, R.E.; and of Correspondence relating thereto between those Officials, the Governments of New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Queensland, Tasmania, New Zealand, and the Colonial Office,"—(Colonel Arbuthnot,)
—instead thereof.
§ Question proposed, That the words proposed to be left out stand part of the Question."
§ SIR MICHAEL HICKS-BEACHhoped the hon. and gallant Member would not think him wanting in courtesy, or in interest in the subject of this request, if he said he could not assent to the Motion. Sir William Jervois and Colonel Scratchley had been sent out to Australia, at the request of the self-governing Colonies, to inquire into the state of their defences, and to report to the various Governments as to the measures that should 1853 be taken to put them in a proper condition. The Reports in question were made to the Colonial Governments, with a view to action and expenditure on their part, and not on the part of the Imperial Government. Some of them were, no doubt, presented to the Colonial Legislatures, because those Legislatures were asked to vote money in order to carry out the proposals which they contained. Having seen these Reports, he thought there were reasons for regretting that they had been published at all. They entered into particulars as to the deficiency in the present system of defences, and the means of remedying those deficiencies, which had better not have been made public in any way. Such Reports, so far as they had been presented to the Colonial Parliaments, were forwarded, in accordance with universal rule, to the Library of the House of Commons. He understood that the Reports in question had not yet all arrived, and he had given directions that any deficiencies should be supplied from the copies in his hands; but he did not think it was advisable that they should be collected together and published for the general information of the world. He also considered it would be detrimental to the Public Service to publish the Correspondence on the subject.
§ Question put, and agreed to.
§ Main Question, "That Mr. Speaker do now leave the Chair," again proposed.