§ SIR G. CAMPBELLSir, I desire to make a personal explanation. I understand that just and reasonable offence has been given by a paragraph in an evening newspaper attributing to me certain remarks about the proceedings of the Western Australia Committee, of which I was a member. I had no idea of communicating anything to the Press, and I desire distinctly to state that to the best of my belief I did not use the words which are attributed to me. If any expressions used by me in private conversation have given rise to such a report I very much regret it, and I unreservedly withdraw any imputation either upon the constitution of the Committee, or upon the conscientious execution of their duty by any of its members.
§ *MR. W. H. SMITHSir, I am sure the House will have heard the personal explanation of the hon. Gentleman with great satisfaction. The hon. Gentleman is an old Member of this House, and I am confident that it would have been with the very greatest regret that any of us would have learned that he had sought to impugn the perfect fairness of any Committee of which he was a member. The House regards the honour of its Committees with great jealousy, and we have reason to know that the country-is confident that the Committees of this House discharge their duties uniformly, with the greatest possible conscientious- 614 ness, with a due regard to the important trusts which are confided to them, and with a most earnest desire to arrive at a just conclusion.
§ SIR G. CAMPBELLI beg to thank the right hon. Gentleman for what he has just said, and to express my entire concurrence in every word he has spoken.