THE QUEEN'S SAVINGS.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XL, Issue 9257, 5 December 1891, Page 2

THE QUEEN'S SAVINGS.

Mr Labouchere, besides being a Radical society journalist, is, eaya the St James $ Gazette, also a member of Parliament. Tn the former capacity ho communicatoß to tbo American Forum an item of news which he has acquired in the latter. In a spiteful article on " English Royalty " he saya . — An act was recently passed enabling the Queen to make a will, as she was not before this supposed to bo the possessor of any property, and the impression prevailsthat she has effected large savings. This is not the case. Although she has for many years lived in retirement, her expenditure haa not materially decreased, for the mise en scene of Royal pageantry ia still kept up. She haa expended con aiderable sutna upon the purchase of tho estates of Osborne and Balmoral, and their maintenance fulls on her. She has, too, made considerable monetary presents to her daughters on their marriages, so that, although she inherited £250,000 from a silly person who loft her this amount, her private fortune is comparatively small. Two years ago Lord Salisbury's Government submitted to Parliament a proposal to endow her grandchildren. A committee of the House of Commons waa appointed to consider this doman.l, when it was decided that provfsion ought only to be made for the children of the Princo of Wales. The Committee was informed, under a pledge of secresy, of the total value of Her Majesty's investments. As I waa a momber of the commutes I cannot, of course, violate this pledge, but I do not think that I am breaking conlidonco in saying that tho amount was surprisingly small. Mr Labouchere's idea of what constitutes a breach of confidence is as curious as hia ideas of truth ana decency.