HC Deb 17 July 1894 vol 27 cc170-1
SIR G. BADEN-POWELL

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether the "Further Correspondence" of a most important character in regard to the Congo Treaty, published in The Times of Monday, 16th of July, is official correspondence; whether he is aware that as late as 6 o'clock on Monday afternoon no copies of such correspondence could be obtained by Members of this House; and whether he can explain why such important correspondence is communicated to newspapers practically a whole day before it is placed in the hands of Members?

SIR E. GREY

I find that a full supply of these Papers was delivered at the Vote Office on Saturday, and not until then were they supplied to the Press.

SIR G. BADEN-POWELL

Then how is it they were not available to hon. Members at 6 o'clock yesterday evening?

SIR J. T. HIBBERT

said, he had made inquiries as to that. Members should have been able to obtain them. It was quite wrong to send copies to the Press before they had been issued to hon. Members.