§ MR. BRADLAUGH (Northampton)asked the Under Secretary of State for India, Whether he can now explain the exact position of Messrs. Streeter in relation to the Burmah Ruby Mines, as to letting, working, and payment; whether he can state when the first tender or proposal was received from Messrs. Streeter, and by whom; and the name of the person who, in India, Burmah, or elsewhere, conducted any actual negotiations with Messrs. Streeter; whether any public or private tenders, as to the working of the mines, were invited from any, and what, persons, and at what dates; whether other, and what, persons than the representatives of Messrs. Streeter, and desirous of tendering, applied, and to whom, for permission to inspect the Ruby Mines, and were refused; whether an engineer and staff, in the employ of Messrs. Streeter, were, since December last, escorted to Mojok, together with machinery for working the mines; and whether they are still at the mines, and how occupied; whe- 69 ther he has lately received any further information on this subject; and, whether he will lay upon the Table the Papers relating to the seizure and occupation of the Ruby Mines, and all subsequent correspondence?
§ THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE (Sir JOHN GORST) (Chatham)(1.) The position of Messrs. Streeter in reference to the Burmah Ruby Mines is at present one of expectancy. They have offered an annual payment of four lakhs of rupees for a licence to work the Ruby Mines under certain conditions in a certain defined area. Their offer is now before the Secretary of State in Council. (2.) Their first application was received by the Government of India in February, 1886. The negotiations were conducted by the Chief Commissioners of Burmah. (3.) No tenders for working the mines were invited by the Local Authorities; but the willingness of the Government of India to receive tenders was well known at the time when Messrs. Streeter's first application was received. (4.) No person other than a Mr. Unger applied for permission to visit the Ruby Mines and was refused by the Local Authorities. His application to visit the mines was made in December, 1886. (5.) No engineer and staff in the employment of Messrs. Streeter, together with machinery for working the mines, has ever been escorted to Mojok. (6.) Despatches have recently been received from India on the subject. (7.) The Secretary of State has directed these Despatches to be laid before the Council in the usual way; and the question of the best mode of disposing of the mines will be in due course considered by the Secretary of State in Council. As soon as any final decision has been arrived at, the Secretary of State will be happy to communicate it to Parliament, and he will willingly present such Papers on the subject as can with advantage to the Public Service be laid upon the Table of the House.
§ MR. BRADLAUGHWill the hon. Gentleman say in what manner, on or prior to February, 1886, the willingness of the Government to accept tenders from any person was made well known?
§ SIR JOHN GORSTWell, I am afraid I cannot say how it was known. I can state as a fact, from information we have received, that it was well known. I 70 may mention, among other things, that it was the subject of correspondence in The Times.
§ MR. BRADLAUGHDoes the hon. Gentleman remember that he told me, in answer to a Question last year, that the whole of the correspondence was absolutely incorrect?
§ SIR JOHN GORSTI do not think I ever made such a sweeping assertion as that. If I did, it was a figure of rhetoric. I do not know whether the hon. Member cares to put a Notice of another Question on the Paper. If he does, I shall be happy to give him a further answer from the information we possess.
§ MR. BRADLAUGHWhen shall we have the Papers on the subject, in order to prevent the putting of needless Questions and the receiving of varying answers?
§ SIR JOHN GORSTThe matter is now under the consideration of the Secretary of State in Council. It is obvious that, in accordance with Parliamentary usage, Papers cannot be laid on the Table until that consideration has been effected and a decision arrived at. I cannot say how long it will last; but we will proceed with all reasonable expedition.
§ MR. BRADLAUGHHave Papers relating to February, 1886, only just come into the hands of the Secretary of State for India?
§ [No reply.]