§ 3. "That a sum, not exceeding £329,579, be granted to Her Majesty, to complete the sum necessary to defray the charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of March, 1900, for stationery, printing, paper, binding, and printed books for the public service, and for the salaries and expenses of the Stationery Office; and for sundry miscellaneous services, including Reports of Parliamentary Debates."
* MR. JAMES LOWTHER (Kent Thanet)I should like to ask the Secretary to the Treasury a question on this Vote, not with regard to matters which were talked over yesterday, but rather 1496 opening up a new phase in connection with the publication of Hansard's Debates. I wish to point out that many hon. Members who ordered copies of the Debates and did not show that lack of precaution displayed by other hon. Members, but instead withheld payment are apparently still unable to get the contract fulfilled. I come within that category. I received some time ago the volumes for 1898 from, the contractor, but as they were not bound according to sample I returned them. I have not yet received them back, but a bill has been sent to me charging for thirteen volumes with binding for 1898, £11 odd. Naturally I object to paying until I get the volumes. I did expect, when the arrangements passed into other hands, order would be evolved from chaos; but on, applying to the trustee in bankruptcy I was told he had only seven of the thirteen volumes in his possession, and that they could be seen at his offices at Old Jewry Chambers. I went there this afternoon, climbed to the top of the building, and found I had been wasting my time as there was nobody there who knew anything about the matter and my volumes could not be produced. I do wish to urge that after the discreditable history of this matter it is highly desirable that care should be taken that the person who has charge in future shall be capable of carrying out his arrangements.
§ THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY TO THE TREASURY (Mr. HANBURY,) PrestonI am glad to know that my right hon. friend is not one of those incautious people who paid for their volumes before they received them. My right hon. friend asks me to bear the blame, not only of the late contractor, but also of the trustee in bankruptcy. It is a little hard on the Government to be made responsible for that official, for we had nothing whatever to do with the appointment of that gentleman, who acts, I believe, under the direction of the court. My right hon. friend's only grievance, so far as I can see, is that his thirteen volumes are not forthcoming; but he has the satisfaction of knowing also that his £11 has not been forthcoming either. Therefore I do not. see that he has much to complain of at present.
§ Vote agreed to.
§ 4. "That a sum, not exceeding £3,454, be granted to Her Majesty, to complete 1497 the sum necessary to defray the Charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of March, 1900, for the Salaries and Expenses of the Board of Lunacy in Scotland."
§ 5. "That a sum, not exceeding £2,829, be granted to Her Majesty, to complete the sum necessary to defray the Charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of March, 1900, for the Salaries and Expenses of the Department of the Registrar-General of Births, etc., in Scotland."