MOTION FOR PAPERS. (Hansard, 7 March 1893)

§ LORD CLINTON

moved for— Papers and copies of the correspondence which has passed between the Chairman of the Metropolitan Hospitals Committee of this House and the Chief Charity Commissioner on the subject of certain evidence given before that Committee, and the Report of the Committee thereon. He understood that the noble Lord who was Chairman of the Committee of that House upon the matter had no objection to the Motion.

Moved, That there be laid before the House— Papers and copies of the correspondence which has passed between the Chairman of the Metropolitan Hospitals Committee of this House and the Chief Charity Commissioner on the subject of certain evidence given before that Committee, and the Report of the Committee thereon."—(The Lard Clinton.)

LORD SANDHURST

said he did not oppose the Motion, but as Chairman of the Committee of Inquiry into the Metropolitan Hospitals he desired to say a few words. The correspondence really 1224 consisted of only two letters, which they had answered. What had occurred was, that evidence was tendered by St. Thomas's Hospital before the Committee. No doubt, with perfectly honest intentions, a mistake was made, but was not discovered by the Committee, or by the Chief Charity Commissioner, until the Report had been circulated and the Committee dissolved. Had he been in possession of the facts with which he was now acquainted, paragraphs 5, 6, and 7 would not have found their way into the Report. He had received a request from the Chief Charity Commissioner asking him, as Chairman, to re-summon the Committee, and to take the Chief Commissioner's evidence, but he had pointed out that course was now impossible, and, in reply to another letter, he had suggested that there were plenty of channels of public information, and that the correspondence would probably be sent to The Times; but that course had not been adopted. If, after that explanation, the Papers were moved for, they would be produced.