§ CAPTAIN DONELAN (Cork, E.)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether the War Office have received any information from South Africa to the effect that British wounded have been shot in cold blood; and if not, whether steps will be taken to prevent the publication of placards containing unfounded accusations against the character of a people having no recognised representative in this country.
§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURY (Mr. A. J. BALFOUR, Manchester, E.)We have no official confirmation of the report to which the hon. Gentleman refers, and we have no authority over a newspaper placard.
§ CAPTAIN DONELANDoes not the Government possess the power of preventing the publication of insulting slanders upon foreign nations?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURThe hon. Gentleman knows well enough what our powers are; we can neither prevent newspapers slandering other nations nor ourselves.
§ MR. DILLON (Mayo, E.)Is it not customary in Ireland for the police to tear down placards?
§ * MR. SPEAKEROrder, order! The hon. Member is now debating the question.