§ MR. McCRAE (Edinburgh, E.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he has communicated with Lord Milner as to the advisability of issuing at an early date the first instalment of £10,000,000 of the Transvaal Loan; and, if so, whether he can state Lord Milner's views as to the most suitable date of issue.
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES (Mr. LYTTELTON,) Warwick and LeamingtonI am not at present prepared to make any statement on this subject.
§ MR. McCRAEWhen shall we have an opportunity of getting an Answer from some member of the Government?
§ [No Answer was returned.]
§ SIR ALBERT ROLLIT (Islington, S.)May I ask whether, apart from any reference to Lord Milner, it is intended to issue this loan?
§ MR. LYTTELTONThat depends upon what the Chancellor of the Exchequer says.
§ MR. SYDNEY BUXTON (Tower Hamlets, Poplar)Will the right hon. Gentleman lay Papers dealing with the subject on the Table of the House?
MR. GIBSON BOWLESDoes the right hon. Gentleman remember that we were promised this instalment at the beginning of 1904, and that on the faith of that assurance the House was prepared to guarantee the loan of £35,000,000.
§ MR. LYTTELTONI do not admit the accuracy of that statement.
§ MR. McCRAECan the right hon. Gentleman tell us whether the state of the revenues of the Transvaal admits of their making the annual contribution necessary?
§ MR. BAYLEY (Derbyshire, Chesterfield)Will the right hon. Gentleman lay Papers on the Table before the Budget is introduced?
§ MR. LYTTELTONI cannot give a pledge on that subject.