HC Deb 11 February 1884 vol 284 cc436-7
MR. DIXON-HARTLAND

asked the President of the Board of Trade, Whether it is a fact that before the appointments to Receiverships in Bankruptcy in certain towns were made, Liberal Members of Parliament were allowed to address the officials of the Board in elaborate speeches in support of particular candidates?

MR. CHAMBERLAIN

Sir, I think this Question is rather an extraordinary one, and I have not the least idea of what it refers to; but I will endeavour to answer it with that disqualification. I am not aware that there is anything which prevents Members of Parliament, whether Liberals or Tories, addressing officials of the Board of Trade upon any subject; but I certainly think that it is quite unnecessary that they should address them in elaborate speeches, because all my officials, as far as I know, are very intelligent, and would understand what was meant without any-elaborate explanation.

MR. DIXON-HARTLAND

I wish to ask the right hon. Gentleman if after the Liberal Members of Parliament had addressed the officials of the Board of Trade with regard to these appointments, he can still say he was ignorant of the politics of the candidates for the offices?

MR. CHAMBERLAIN

What I have stated is, that I am not aware of the politics of the majority of the gentlemen who have been appointed. [Cries of "Oh, oh!"] Oh, yes; I am certain that I am absolutely correct in what I am saying—that I was not aware of the politics of the majority of the gentlemen who have received these appointments. In some few cases I do know what their politics were. For instance, I know that the politics of the gentleman whom I have appointed for Birmingham are Conservative. That statement, therefore, is absolutely correct; but in reference to what the hon. Member had said, I have already told him I am not aware of any case in which any Member, whether Liberal or Tory, has been addressing elaborate speeches to the Board of Trade in support of particular candidates.

MR. DIXON-HARTLAND

I will ask the right hon. Gentleman if the junior Member for Edinburgh did not address the officials of the Board of Trade in a speech of three quarters of an hour's length in support of the candidature of the candidate for Sheffield?

MR. CHAMBERLAIN

I think it is a Question which had better be addressed to the junior Member for Edinburgh. All I can say is, that this is the first time I have heard of any such incident.

MR. DIXON - HARTLAND

After the answers I have received from the right hon. Gentleman, I beg to give Notice that I shall, at the earliest possible moment, move the following Resolution:— That in the opinion of this House the extensive patronage conferred on the President of the Board of Trade under the Bankruptcy Act of 1883 has been used for political purposes; and that the violation of the pledges given to this House with regard to the exercise of this patronage deserves the severest reprobation of Parliament.