§ SIR R. ASSHETON CROSSPerhaps I may, with the indulgence of the House, be allowed to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he can give the House any particulars with respect to the explosion which has taken place at the Local Government Board Office; and whether there is any truth in the report that an explosion has also taken place at The Times office?
§ SIR WILLIAM HARCOURTThe particulars I have received from the police are, that at five minutss past 9 this evening an explosion took place on the ground floor of the Office of the Local Government Board, in Charles Street, Westminster, wrecking a room, and breaking much glass, and causing other damage in the neighbourhood. There are many conjectures as to the 653 cause of the explosion; but it would not be right to state them until there has been an official inquiry. No person has been injured. In reference to the other matter to which my right hon. Friend refers, I have seen a gentleman connected with The Times office; and it appears that previous to the explosion at the Local Government Board Office, at about half-past 7, there was found outside The Times office a canister containing some explosive material, which seems to have slightly exploded, but with no serious effects. Those are the facts I have received.
§ MR. PULESTONasked whether there was anything to indicate in a similar way the cause of the explosion at the Local Government Board Office?
§ SIR WILLIAM HARCOURTAt present I have no information of anything having been found; and, in fact, the explosion was of such a character that there was hardly likely to be anything found.
§ VISCOUNT FOLKESTONEasked whether the right hon. and learned Gentleman's statement, that no person had been injured, referred to persons at the Local Government Board Office only, as he had heard it reported that several persons at The Central Press office had been injured and taken away in cabs?
§ SIR WILLIAM HARCOURTThe information I have received does not bear that out.