§ MR. WADDY (Lincolnshire, Brigg)asked the Secretary of State for War, Whether it is true that a distinguished officer in Her Majesty's Service, Colonel Hope, has written to him letters containing charges of fraud, conspiracy, and other misconduct against certain officers and other persons in a fiduciary position with respect to Her Majesty's Army; whether such communications were in the first instance confidential, and whether Colonel Hope has now withdrawn any objection to their publication; and, whether the Government will now lay this Correspondence upon the Table of the House, and cause it to be circulated to the Members; or whether they will adopt any other and what course to allay the general anxiety of the House and the public on this subject?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE (Mr. W. H. SMITH) (Strand, Westminster)The hon. and learned Member cannot have been in the House recently, or he would be aware that I have answered Questions couched in almost identical terms with his Question four or five times already. The communication which was received from Colonel Hope was carefully considered by the Law Officers of the Crown and myself; and in their judgment and mine it does not contain 1116 any statement which could be entertained by any Judicial Court, however constituted. In accordance with Colonel Hope's stipulation, that document was returned to him some days ago. He is perfectly free to publish it; and, as I have already stated in this House, I think he is bound in honour to do so.
§ MR. WADDYWill the right hon. Gentleman answer the third part of my Question? Will the Government lay this Correspondence on the Table?
§ MR. W. H. SMITHThe Government will not. The Correspondence to which the hon. and learned Member refers was preceded by a statement from Colonel Hope, to the effect that these Papers should be left in my hands until the 10 of September only. The Papers have been returned; and it is, therefore, not in my power to lay them on the Table.