§ MR. KIRKasked Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, Whether it is a fact that not only portions of the evidence of some of the witnesses, but the entire of the evidence of at least one other witness, and that given at more than one sitting of the Royal Commissioners, has been omitted in the Minutes of Evidence contained in the Blue Book presented to Parliament relating to the Inquiry by the Royal Commissioners into the constitution, custom, and usages of the London Stock Exchange; and, further, by what authority, and under what circumstances, certain portions of the evidence of Mr. Cooper, and the entire of the evidence of the Right honourable G. J. Goschen, in relation to the promotion and the subsequent winding-up of the Imperial Land Company of Marseilles, has been suppressed from the Blue Book on the customs and usages of the London Stock Exchange, presented to both Houses of Parliament by Command of Her Majesty?
§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUERI have no knowledge whatever on this subject, and I only saw the Question to-day. I have sent over to the Home Office, where the Report has been presented; and I am informed that all the evidence that was sent in by the Royal Commission was presented by the Home Office, and that nothing was cut out there. Therefore, if there has been any omission, it rests with the Royal Commission; but I have no knowledge of the matter myself.
§ MR. CALLANAs to the second part of the Question, the right hon. Gentleman has not informed us whether a Royal Commission has authority to cut out any portion of the evidence.
§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUERI really do not know. I apprehend that they took such evidence as they thought right, and presented it to Her Majesty. Whatever was presented to Her Majesty would have been sent to the Home Secretary. He is not now in London, as he is in attendance upon Her Majesty at Osborne; but, as I understand, the Report, as it was sent in to Her Majesty through the Home Secretary, was presented without any alteration to this House.
§ MR. CALLANI beg to give Notice, as it is a matter of deep interest to us, especially now that another important Royal Commission has just been issued, that none of the evidence should be suppressed—I beg to give Notice that I will to-morrow ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Whether a Royal Commission, in presenting the evidence it has taken, has any power to suppress any of that evidence? If evidence is suppressed in one case it may be in another; and we have just had an important Commission appointed to consider the agricultural distress of the country.