HC Deb 06 May 1881 vol 260 cc1960-1
MR. MACDONALD

said, that, in the absence of the First Lord of the Treasury, he begged to ask the noble Marquess the Secretary of State for India, If the inscription for the proposed monument to the late Earl of Beaconsfield for his services to the Country and its dependencies has yet been prepared; and, if so, will he inform the House the nature of the same, or the words thereof, or lay the words upon the Table of the House prior to the time when he moves his Resolution for the erection of the monument? He wished to add that his Question had been so mutilated that he scarcely recognized it. But no doubt the noble Marquess had seen it in the newspapers.

MR. RYLANDS

also desired to ask, in reference to this subject, whether, in view of the importance of the Irish Land Bill, the Government would be good enough to postpone the Motion relative to the Beaconsfield monument until after that Bill had been read a second time?

THE MARQUESS OF HARTINGTON

Sir, my right hon. Friend the First Lord of the Treasury being slightly unwell, and unable to be in his place today, has desired me to answer the Question of the hon. Member for Stafford (Mr. Macdonald). I must say, in the first place, that I have not seen any other version of the hon. Member's Question than that which stands on the Paper, and that I am not aware in what respect it has been altered. In reply to his Question, I have to state that the view of the Government is that the words of the inscription should very closely follow the terms of the Address which my right hon. Friend will move on Monday next. In reply to the hon. Member for Burnley (Mr. Rylands), I have to state that it is impossible for me to answer his Question in the absence of my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister. I can only say that I believe that my right hon. Friend has fully considered the time when his Motion should be brought on, and I do not think that he will be disposed to adopt any suggestion for its postponement.

MR. MACDONALD

wished to know, whether the inscription would contain any reference to the political services of the late Lord Beaconsfield as the head of a Party?

THE MARQUESS OF HARTINGTON

Sir, I can only refer the hon. Member to the terms of the Address of which my right hon. Friend gave Notice yesterday.