HC Deb 30 October 1884 vol 293 cc517-8
MR. RITCHIE

asked the President of the Board of Trade, Whether his attention has been called to No. 169 of the papers in the Blue Book, containing correspondence relating to Sugar Bounties, in which Mr. Giffen, an official of the Board of Trade, charges Mr. Ritchie and Mr. Thornhill, Members of this House, with having made "false statements;" whether he will state to the House the nature of such false statements and the date on which they were made; whether it is with his approval that a document making so grave a charge against Members of this House was inserted in an official Blue Book without any communication with the Members so charged; whether it is with his approval that a letter, No. 171, in the same Blue Book, from Sir T. H. Farrer to Mr. Ritchie, reflecting on Mr. Ritchie's conduct was inserted and the reply suppressed; whether he will call upon Mr. Giffen to withdraw and apologise for the charges referred to, and will cause the Blue Book to be withdrawn and another one issued with Mr. Giffen's letter, No. 169, omitted and apologised for, and Mr. Ritchie's reply to Sir T. H. Farrer's letter, No. 171, inserted; and, whether he will take steps to prevent in the future such an abuse of official documents?

MR. T. THORNHILL

As I am included in the Question, I would like to say one or two words in explanation of the whole thing.

MR. SPEAKER

I think it will be more convenient if the hon. Gentleman will follow after the right hon. Gentleman has made his reply.

MR. CHAMBERLAIN

My attention has been called to No. 169 of the Papers in the Blue Book containing correspondence relating to the Sugar Bounties, in which certain Members of the House are charged with false statements. I may say that the publications of the Board of Trade are so voluminous and numerous that it is physically impossible for me to exercise a continuous personal and verbatim revision. In the present case, I was cognizant of the principal documents; but I left the arrangement for publication and the necessary covering letters to the care of the Chief of the Department. It was not with my approval or knowledge that the document complained of by the hon. Gentleman opposite was inserted, nor that the letter from the hon. Member in answer to No. 171 in the same Blue Book was omitted. I think that the hon. Member and the House have just ground of complaint on both points. I propose to remedy these errors as far as lies in my power by withdrawing the Blue Book and reissuing it, omitting the Letter No. 169, and inserting the reply, dated July 10, of the hon. Member to Letter No. 171, with the addition of a note to the effect that no rejoinder was made by the Department to that reply, because the subject in controversy had been fully discussed in this House in the debate on the 14th of July last. I beg further to read a letter written to me by Mr. Giffen, who has, I should add, been out of health, and suffering from a severe domestic calamity— Board of Trade, October 30, 1884. Dear Mr. Chamberlain,—With reference to the Question put by Mr. Ritchie as to the correspondence just issued, I have to express my regret that my covering letter to the Board of Trade, dated June 30 last (No. 169 in the printed correspondence), imputes false statements to Mr. Ritchie, M.P., and Mr. Thornhill, M.P., and I beg leave to withdraw the words, and to apologize for having used them. The letter was written hurriedly, with a view to the record of the letters which I had written to The Times, and which I thought it my duty to bring officially to your notice, and without any knowledge that it would form part of the Parliamentary correspondence. As you are aware, the admission of the letter into the printed correspondence also occurred through a regrettable inadvertence.—Yours sincerely, R. GIFFEN. SIR Thomas H. Farrer also desires me to express his regret that the Papers were not more carefully revised before they were sent to Press. Under these circumstances, I trust the hon. Member will accept the apologies which it is my duty to tender to him, and will be satisfied with the steps I am taking to repair the errors which have been committed.

MR. RITCHIE

Perhaps the House will allow me to say that I accept in the frankest manner the full and frank apology Mr. Giffen has made.

MR. T. THORNHILL

I also am satisfied with the reply, and will say no more on the subject.