MR. GIBSON BOWLESI beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies can he state whose property is the reserve fund accumulated by the Crown Agents for the Colonies, which, on 31st March, 1900, amounted to £341,527; in whose name the invested portion thereof is invested; who is responsible for the management and application of the fund itself; who keeps the accounts thereof; and to whom such accounts are rendered; seeing that it was laid down by him in 1863, with the sanction of the Lords of the Treasury, that this reserve fund was intended to meet any sudden falling off in the receipts of the office, and to provide for retiring pensions and gratuities, will he say whether during the last ten years any, and, if so, what gratuities have been paid out of this fund, and to whom; seeing that he in 1868, in consequence of the sums received on account of the 406 Crown Agents' commission having increased beyond what was required for the support of the Agents' establishment, authorised the Crown Agents to reduce the rate of commission, and that the sum accumulated beyond that required for the support of this establishment now amounts to £341,527, has he considered whether the rate of the Crown Agents' commissions should not now again be reduced; and has he any, and, if so, what, objection to lay upon the Table of the House the accounts of the Crown Agents for the last five years. I may say a little error has crept into the second and third paragraph. The decisions referred to were not those of the right hon. Gentleman but of his predecessors.
§ MR. J. CHAMBERLAINYes, and anyone who reads the question will see that it is impossible to give an answer in the ordinary way in the House. What I propose to do, with my hon. friend's consent, is to send him full particulars in regard to all the matters inquired into as soon as they can be prepared by the department.
§ MR. J. CHAMBERLAINI will try, but the matter will require a considerable amount of investigation.
§ MR. J. CHAMBERLAINI will do what I can.
§ SIR H. CAMPBELL-BANNERMAN (Stirling Burghs)Will the curiosity of other hon. Members be satisfied as well as that of the hon. Member opposite? Might not the information be laid on the Table?
§ MR. J. CHAMBERLAINIf any other hon. Members have the same curiosity as my hon. friend, I shall be glad to lay the information on the Table.
§ SIR H. CAMPBELL-BANNERMANI ask the question, otherwise we might be envious of the hon. Gentleman.