§ MR. DARLING (Deptford)I wish to ask the Home Secretary a question of which I have given him private notice. But as neither the Home Secretary nor the Under Secretary is present, I will put the question to the First Lord of the Treasury. It is whether the Government can inform the House by whom notice was given of the intention to hold the meeting which was held yesterday afternoon in Trafalgar Square; whether that demonstration was organised by the London Anarchist Communists to deplore the death of the Chicago Anarchist "martyrs," yesterday being the anniversary of their execution for murder; and whether an Anarchist named Murdoch referred to the explosion of bombs at Barcelona, and announced that something of the same kind might occur here before long?
§ MR. W. E. GLADSTONEThis is a strictly Departmental matter of which I should not, under ordinary circumstances, have cognisance, and I am afraid I must ask the hon. Member to repeat the question.
§ MR. DARLINGSeeing that I have given notice to the Home Secretary, and received no request whatever to postpone the question, I wish to ask why the right hon. Gentleman is not here, and why the Under Secretary, who was here just now, has left the House.
§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER (Sir W. HARCOURT,) DerbyI can only say that the Home Secretary has been engaged, as I have, in the performance of a public duty in the Royal Courts of Justice with reference to the nomination of Sheriffs, and I suppose has not had time to arrive at the House.
§ MR. DARLINGWhat about the Under Secretary?
§ [No answer was given.]