§ MR. EDMUND ROBERTSON (Dundee)asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether, having 525 regard to proposals which have been made in this Country for legislation of a character similar to that of the Homestead and Exemption Laws prevailing in the United States of America, he will take steps to obtain Reports regarding the nature, extent, and operations of those Laws from the British Consular Agents or other available authorities in the United States?
§ THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE (Mr. BRYCE) (Aberdeen, S.)The subject referred to in the Question of my hon. and learned Friend is one of great interest, and Her Majesty's Minister at Washington and those of Her Majesty's Consular officers in the United States who seem likely to be able to obtain satisfactory information will be instructed to furnish such Reports as he suggests. I may, however, observe that in the newer Western States, where chiefly these homestead laws are in operation, there are very few British Consular officers, so that I cannot promise my hon. Friend that the information will be as complete as we should desire. In the meantime, I may tell him that he will find much matter of interest regarding the homestead and exemption laws in the collection of State Constitutions published under the authority of Congress.