§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILLI beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware of the statement of Colonel Morgan that, in the presence of General Lyttelton and another, Lord Milner refused to make any further purchases of supplies from the Army stores for repatriation; whether he is aware that this refusal of Lord Milner was based on the ground that the making of these purchases would not be fair to the local merchants; whether this action on the part of Lord Milner had the previous sanction or subsequent ratification of the Colonial Office; what communications, if any, passed between Lord Milner and the Colonial Office with reference to this action of Lord Milner, whereby the main source of custom for the Army stores, to the loss of the taxpayer, was shut off; and whether he will lay these communications upon the Table.
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES (Mr. LYTTELTON, Warwick and Leamington)I would refer the hon. Member to the Answer given by the Secretary of State for War to the similar Question addressed to him on the subject. I have already informed the hon. Member for Northampton on the 29th of June† that no such correspondence took place.
§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILLsaid his Question was to the Secretary for the Colonies. Did the right hon. Gentleman communicate with Lord Milner on the subject?
§ MR. LYTTELTONI have said that there was no correspondence.
§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILLWill the right hon. Gentleman now inquire? By the way, where is Lord Milner now?
[No Answer was returned.]
† see page 545