§ MR. HENNIKER HEATON (Canterbury)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the arbitration in relation to the Delagoa Bay Railway has now been proceeding for ten years; whether repeated promises of an early decision by the Berne Tribunal have been made to Her Majesty's Government and repeated in this House during the past five years; and what is the real cause of delay in giving the award.
§ THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Mr. BRODRICK,) Surrey, GuildfordThe first meeting of the arbitrators took place on the 3rd of August, 1891. No promise as to the date of the final decision has been given or repeated in the House of Commons. Her Majesty's Government were given to understand that the award would be delivered not later than October last. The delay in promulgating the decision is extremely regrettable.
§ MR. HENNIKER HEATONCan the right hon. Gentleman state when the award will be given?
§ [No answer was returned.]