§ Resolution reported,
§ "That a sum, not exceeding £54,600, be granted to His Majesty, to complete the sum necessary to defray the Charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of March, 1914, for Expenditure in respect of Diplomatic and Consular Buildings, and for the maintenance of certain Cemeteries Abroad."
§ Motion made, and Question proposed, "That the House doth agree with the Committee in the said Resolution."
§ Sir J. D. REESI desire to ask what is the Vote for the building of a new Consular Office at Boma. I understand that Boma is used in Africa as a generic term for Government stations.
§ Mr. SPEAKERThere is nothing in the Vote for Boma; that is last year's Vote.
§ Sir J. D. REESMay I ask whether it has been completed?
§ Mr. SPEAKERNo; the hon. Member can ask a question with regard to what is in this year's Votes, but not last year's.
§ Sir J. D. REESAm I not entitled to ask what has been expended—what the cost has been?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThat would be a matter for the Public Accounts Committee.
§ Sir J. D. REESI see there is an item in the Estimates for the current year of £3,700 for the purpose and adaptation of a legation House at Cettinje. I should like to ask why so large a sum is required for a diplomatic building in what is notoriously the smallest capital in Europe. It seems an extraordinarily large sum for so extremely small a capital, which, in fact, is no more than a village. I imagine it to be quite relevant to this Vote, and to be also of public importance to get some statement why so large a sum is required. [Interruption.]
§ Mr. SPEAKERWill the hon. Gentlemen kindly proceed to business; it is impossible to hear what the hon. Gentleman is saying.
§ Sir J. D. REESI come next to the erection of a new Legation House at Sofia. There is an estimate for £22,250 for which a Vote is required for 1913–14 of £7,000. That also appears to be a very large item. I do not wish to suggest that our representative at Sofia should not be well housed, or that in view of the recent events in the Balkans it is not desirable that he should be better housed than formerly, but £22,000 seems to be a large sum for this purpose, seeing that Sofia, whatever the future area, of the capital may be, is not a very great city. It is a city of such a character that £22,000 would build the greatest palace ever seen or heard of in that place. I only wish for an explanation. I see that £300 is required this year for the erection of a new Consulate at Changsha. I should suggest that £5,000 is a large amount for a mere consulate in what is not an extremely large and important place. There is another item to which I would refer, because upon a former occasion when I raised it no explanation was given. There is provision here of £5,500 for Pekin, out of a total estimate of £13,800. I should imagine from the fact that it is specially mentioned that the ice-making plant, which otherwise is a trifling matter, must really be a rather large provision here. It is a singular thing why it should be wanted—ice is always available at Pekin, and more than anybody wants is stored there in the winter. It is extraordinary that among diplomatic residences ours at Pekin, of all others, has to be specially provided with ice-making plant. These items struck me as requiring attention. There are no doubt others which, if time permitted, I should like to dwell upon, but the House 1998 appears to be impatient, so I will simply move the reduction of the Vote by £100.
§ Mr. SPEAKERI have already put the Question, "That the House doth agree with the Committee in the said Resolution."
§ Mr. W. BENNI have already referred to the improvements at Pekin, and I do not know that any further explanation is required upon that head. As regards Sofia, of course operations there have been rather delayed owing to events in the Balkans, but we are pushing on with this establishment. It seems desirable, especially in view of what is happening, that the British representative there should be suitably housed.