§ SIR H. CAMPBELL-BANNERMANI desire to ask the right hon. Gentleman a Question of which I have given him private notice. I wish to ask whether he is aware that the Premier of New South Wales has now stated that the declarations referred to in the recent message of his Government were contained in the speeches delivered by the Colonial Secretary and the right hon. Gentleman himself, and whether he will take steps to correct by messages to the Government of that colony this misapprehension of those speeches, seeing that the House was assured that, pending inquiry to be undertaken by the Government, no conclusion would be formed and no action would be taken.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURSir, I have received no information confirming the intelligence of the right hon. Gentleman, which I believe appears in the newspapers. There is no telegram at the Colonial Office conveying the information.
§ SIR H. CAMPBELL-BANNERMANThe telegram is from the Premier of New South Wales.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURWell, it has not been received, I am informed, at the Colonial Office. As regards the second and inferential part of the right hon. Gentleman's Question, I can only say that I have nothing either to withdraw, or, so far as I know, to explain in the speech to which he refers.
§ SIR H. CAMPBELL-BANNERMANDoes the right hon. Gentleman still think that the declaration refers to some documents of 1897?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI have not the smallest conception, but it might.