§ *SIR EDWARD SASSOONI beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether Her Majesty's Government will consider the desirability of withholding their sanction from future agreements between the Eastern Telegraph Company and the subsidiary companies and the Cape, Indian, and Australian Govern-
8 See The Parliamentary Debates [Fourth Series]. Vol. lxxviii., p. 180.593 ments until Parliament has had an opportunity of taking cognisance of them; and whether, if the Government have no control over these conventions so far as regards the colonies, Her Majesty's Government would point out to the colonial Governments concerned the expediency of abstaining from any final decision until an Imperial policy of a comprehensive nature, embracing colonial interests, has been formulated by Parliament in the course of this session.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI think my hon. friend will see that the. matter to which he calls attention in this question is one which cannot really be dealt with by the Imperial Parliament alone. It is a matter for negotiation between the self-governing colonies and the home Government.
§ *SIR EDWARD SASSOONWill the right hon. Gentleman give time for the discussion of the subject?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURThere are opportunities which my hon. friend shares with other members for bringing the matter before the House, but I cannot give him any of the Government time at our disposal.