HC Deb 28 February 1901 vol 90 cc39-41
MR. PATRICK O'BRIEN (Kilkenny)

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty whether it is intended to exclude, with one exception, the correspondents of all the newspapers desiring to be represented on the occasion from the ships of war accompanying the Royal Mission to Australia; whether Sir Donald Mackenzie Wallace has been deputed to accompany the Duke of Cornwall and York as official reporter; and whether that gentleman will also represent The Times, which will thus, enjoy privileges denied to the London press generally.

MR. KEIR HARDIE

At the same time, may I ask the Secretary to the Admiralty whether, seeing that newspaper correspondents have been refused permission to sail in His Majesty's cruisers accompanying H.R.H. the Duke of York to Australia, and that the effect of this will be to prevent special correspondents reaching places at which His Royal Highness will call in time to send home descriptive reports, he will state if Sir Donald Mackenzie Wallace, a special representative of The Times newspaper, has been selected historian for the trip., and whether he will be prohibited from sending reports of the voyage to The Times, so that it may not have an advantage over other daily newspapers.

*MR. PRETYMAN

Sir Donald Mackenzie Wallace will accompany His Royal Highness the Duke of Cornwall and York on his projected tour. The First Lord of the Admiralty is in communication with representatives of the press for the purpose of ascertaining whether it is possible to arrange for other representatives to accompany His Royal Highness. I may say, however, that the accommodation available is exceedingly limited, and the question is one of some difficulty. If the hon. Member will put down a further question at a future date I shall be happy to give him the information he requires as soons as the First Lord of the Admiralty has come to a decision.

MR. PATRICK O'BRIEN

I shall put a question down for Monday.

MR. KEIR HARDIE

Arising out or that question, is the hon. Gentleman aware that on the occasion of the funeral of the late Queen Victoria the representative of the Times was admitted to Frogmore Chapel on condition—

*MR. SPEAKER

Order, order! That does not arise out of the question on the Paper.

MR. KEIR HARDIE

I was coming to a supplementary question, Sir. My question is whether in the event of The Times correspondent alone being allowed to accompany their Royal Highnesses he would be under an obligation to supply his reports to some central news agency, so that all the newspapers may be placed on an equal footing.

MR. PRETYMAN

I understand that Sir Donald Mackenzie Wallace is not representing The Times.