§ 14. Colonel GRETTONasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will state the circumstances and publish the Papers relating to the proclamation in the Irish Free State altering the terms of reference to the Wood-Renton Committee, which was appointed to consider and assess claims for damages in the Irish Free State?
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GOREThe circum stances giving rise to the new terms of reference in question have been set out in the answer which was given to the hon. Member for Central Portsmouth on 16th December last, of which I am sending a copy to the hon. and gallant Member, and papers relating thereto have been published in the Command Paper (Cmd. 2,446) which was presented to Parliament in June last.
§ Colonel GRETTONWas it not within the knowledge of the, Colonial Office, when they assented to the alteration of these terms of reference, that it entailed a heavy increase of liability to the British Government, to pay for compensation that it would not formerly have paid?
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GOREAll those considerations were taken into account both last year, when the matter was under consideration, and right up to the end.
§ Sir W. DAVISONIs it not a fact that this proclamation actually varied the terms of an Act of Parliament passed by this House, and is that legal?
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GOREI am assured that it is legal.