HC Deb 21 July 1881 vol 263 cc1449-50
LORD RANDOLPH CHURCHILL

I beg to give Notice that to-morrow I shall ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether by the Treaty between Austria and Servia the following articles are not exempted from all duties on importation into Servia—namely, machinery of any kind, agricultural implements, all railway materials and rolling stock, and coals; and whether by the most favoured nation clause of the Treaty between this country and Servia of 1880, goods of these denominations would not be equally exempt from duty on importation to Servia; and why Her Majesty's Government have absolutely sacrificed all the advantage which British trade and industry might reasonably be expected to derive from these privileges at a moment when enterprises for national development are on foot in Servia?

SIR CHARLES W. DILKE

Sir, I think I had better answer that Question at once, because an entirely false impression might go abroad in consequence of the Notice of the noble Lord——

LORD RANDOLPH CHURCHILL

I rise to Order. I beg to give Notice that if the hon. Baronet thinks it necessary to answer my Question now I will raise the whole question at once on a Motion for the Adjournment of the House.

SIR CHARLES W. DILKE

Under these circumstances I will not take the responsibility of answering the Question now. I will only say that the noble Lord's Notice contains a statement distinctly opposed to the fact.

SIR H. DRUMMOND WOLFF

I move that the hon. Baronet's words be taken down. He has said that my noble Friend has stated that which is opposed to the fact. That is an imputation on my noble Friend's veracity, and the hon. Baronet is bound to explain himself, or his words should be taken down.

MR. CHILDERS

I have been for many years in this House, and I have heard these words used over and over again, and they have not been considered to be un-Parliamentary. My hon. Friend's words ought not to be taken down.

MR. SPEAKER

The hon. Baronet the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs has declared on his own responsibility that the statement made by the noble Lord is opposed to the fact. I am not at all prepared to say that those words are un-Parliamentary.

LORD RANDOLPH CHURCHILL

I rise to Order. I made no statement. I only gave Notice that I should ask whether certain information derived from Government Papers laid before Parliament was correct or not. I object utterly to a question of so much importance being answered off-hand, and to the matter being treated as if it were of no importance whatever.