§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILLsaid I desire to ask the Secretary of State for War, to whom I have addressed Questions on a matter coming distinctly within the purview of his office—namely, the liberty and treatment of a little short of 1,000 men who are at present in India, Bermuda, and Ceylon as Boer prisoners of war; whether the custody and control of these prisoners of war rests with the Colonial Office or with the War Department; and, if with the War Department, I wish to ask why the Secretary of State for War does not answer my Questions with reference to these men instead of leaving them to be answered by the Colonial Office.
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WAR (Mr. BRODRICK,) Surrey, GuildfordThe hon. Member has asked me a perfectly new Question, and I suggest he should put it down on the Paper.
§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILLHaving regard to that answer, may I, by way of personal explanation, state that I asked questions with a similar bearing the day before yesterday, and they were answered by the representative of the Colonial Office?
§ *MR. SPEAKEROrder, order! That is not a matter of personal explanation.