§ MR. ROLLSasked the First Lord of the Treasury, If he has any objection to lay upon the Table Copies of any letters and memorials, which he and the Secretary of State for the Home Department have received from Mr. Colborne, on the subject of insecurity of tenants' capital under mineral leases?
MR. GLADSTONE, in reply, said, that inquiry had been made about the matter, and the only cognizance he had of it was that a letter was addressed to him by the gentleman referred to in the Question, which he (Mr. Gladstone) sent on to the Home Office in case his right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department should find it would be a matter for his jurisdiction. Some conversation took place between his right hon. and 152 learned Friend and this gentleman. It did not appear that it was a matter which could, properly be laid in the form of a public document before the House, inasmuch as it seemed to concern simply miscarriage and inequality of private arrangements, which was really a matter for the discretion of the parties. Even if it related to the law on mineral leases, he did not know if it would be a matter for the Government to deal with; but they could not produce a private paper.