HC Deb 17 July 1894 vol 27 cc158-9
MR. NAOROJI (Finsbury, Central)

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War if he has recently received any letters or representations from Colonel E. Mitchell, R.E., retired, on the subject of a certain claim for compensation under the Queen's Royal Warrant for enforced retirement under the new rule; whether he is prepared to take any action on the matter; whether he will lay the documents upon the Table of the House; whether he will lay upon the Table of the House the undertaking that the litigation of "Mitchell v. Regina" was at an end, which the late Secretary of State for War on the 28th of November, 1890, informed the House of Commons, in reply to Mr. Cunninghame Graham, had been given by Colonel Mitchell; whether this officer, more than four years ago, officially transmitted to the War Office an affidavit denying the statement of the late Secretary of State for War, and asking for an inquiry into the matter; whether any inquiry was made; and whether he will lay upon the Table of the House the affidavit of Colonel Mitchell?

THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WAR (Mr. CAMPBELL-BANNERMAN,) Stirling, &c.

Many letters have been received on this subject from Colonel Mitchell. The officer's case has been more than once decided in the Law Courts, and I am not prepared to re-open it; but, as the accuracy of my predecessor's statement in this House is questioned, I have no objection to lay on the Table the correspondence relied on as comprising the undertaking which he mentioned as having been given by Colonel Mitchell, which, notwithstanding Colonel Mitchell's affidavit, seems to me to fully bear out Mr. Stanhope's statement. I have no objection to lay so much of Colonel Mitchell's affidavit as refers to this transaction on the Table at the same time, but I must object to give the whole affidavit, which covers the whole of his case, which, as I have said, has been decided by the Courts of Law. At the same time, I will lay on the Table an extract from an affidavit, dated the 29th of February, 1891, by Mr. A. T. Hare, of the firm of Hare and Co., agents to the Treasury Solicitor.