§ MR. ALDERMAN W. M'ARTHURasked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether it is true that a communication has been received from the Austrian Government to the effect that the Emperor intends to give full effect to the promise which he made lately to a deputation from this Country, that freedom of worship should be granted to the religious bodies which have suffered persecution at the hands of the provincial authorities; whether his attention has been called to a letter in the "Daily News" of Monday the 16th instant, from a British member of the deputation, conveying the information that—
Barbarous persecution has lately broken out against the 'Free Reformed' in Bohemia; that heavy fines have been inflicted, our pastor condemned to pay 1,100 florins for simply holding a religious service; that the utmost concessions of the Government will result practically in excluding all children of Protestant parents, between seven and fourteen, from the religious meetings in which the latter take part, and from Sunday schools;and, whether, considering such persecutions are in direct opposition to the pledges given by Austria at the Berlin Conference, Her Majesty's Government will see fit to make any representations upon the subject?
§ MR. BOURKESir, no representation on this subject has been made to us by the Austrian Government; and, as at present advised, Her Majesty's Government have no intention of making any representation upon the subject.