§ MR. E. HARRINGTON (Kerry, W.)I beg to ask whether it has come under the notice of the Secretary to the Treasury that the price of the Special Commision Report has been reduced from 1s. 4d. to 9d., and whether such a change has ever previously taken place in the price of Papers on public sale; and whether the price of Public Papers are in the hands of the Treasury or under Parliamentary control?
§ MR. JACKSONIt has come to my notice. The fact is that the first edition was absorbed, and it was necessary to issue a second. Following what I believe to have been the practice of the House, that Parliamentary Papers should be issued at the lowest possible price, it was found that the extra cost of printing the extra number of copies would permit the sale at 8d., and not at 9d., as the hon Member has said, but I am speaking from memory.
§ MR. E. HARRINGTONHas the attention of the First Lord of the Treasury been drawn to the fact that the Report is practically made up of extracts from the Irish World and from the speeches of Irish Members, and was it for the special purpose of circulating it among the members of the Primrose League that the price has been reduced?
§ MR. LABOUCHERE (Northampton)How many copies were there in the first edition, and is there a prescribed number for editions of these Public Papers.
§ MR. JACKSONI do not know the number of the first edition. I believe there was an unusually large number.
§ SIR WILFRID LAWSON (Cumberland, Cockermouth)May I ask whether the thanks of the House having been voted to the three Judges for their impartial judgment, that Resolution has been formally presented to them, and, if so, whether they have made any reply?
§ * MR. W. H. SMITHIt is no part of my duty to convey to anybody a Resolution of this House.
§ SIR W. LAWSONThen, Mr. Speaker, may I ask whether you have formally conveyed the Resolution to the Judges, 1824 or whether it will be conveyed to them at all?
§ * MR. SPEAKERI have received no directions on the subject.
§ * MR. CAUSTON (Southwark, W.)Can the hon. Gentleman quote any other instance of a similar reduction in price?
§ MR. JACKSONSeveral; one of them was the Report on the Housing of the Working Classes.
§ * MR. H. J. WILSON (York, W.R, Holmfirth)Was it reduced, one half?
§ MR. JACKSONIf the hon. Member will put the question down, I will obtain the information.
§ MR. CLANCY (Dablin County, N.)Has the reduction taken place since the adoption of the Report?
§ MR. JACKSONNo, Sir.