§ MR. HALPIN (Clare, W.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether he is aware that on 12th March the President of the British Commission to the Milan Exposition publicly announced that the diplomas and medals awarded to exhibitors had been received; if he will explain why these are being withheld by the Commission; if he is aware that, when the British Commission was organised, it was stated in a Report presented by the Executive Commissioner to the President and Members of the Commission that the awards would consist of diplomas and medals; if he is also aware that the Executive Commissioner has written to certain exhibitors who have applied for the medals and diplomas awarded them to the effect that the Exposition authorities do not present an actual medal but a diploma therefore; whether he is aware that medals have always been issued with diplomas at international expositions; and will he explain why the British Commission to the Milan Exposition issued such a misleading Report.
§ THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY TO THE TREASURY (Mr. Runciman,) DewsburyI am informed by the President of the British Commission that he did not make the statement attributed to him in the first part of the Question repecting diplomas. In point of fact the diplomas are daily expected from Milan but have not yet arrived. As it is the intention of the Commission to present the diplomas and the medals at the same time the non-arrival of the former accounts for the delay of which the hon. Member complains. I understand that it is not the case that medals have always been issued with diplomas at Inter- 670 national Expositions, the usual practice being to present diplomas alone. This is the course actually being taken by the authorities of the Milan Exhibition, but the British Commission have determined to purchase and present bronze medals with their diplomas to Exhibitors to whom medals, &c., have been awarded. The Report referred to was based upon a misunderstanding which is regretted, but I understand the facts to be as I have stated.
§ MR. HALPINIs the hon. Gentleman aware that that the President got a Japanese Decoration for putting a Jap on the jury instead of an Irishman?
§ [No Answer was returned.]