CHURCHILL, Sir Winston Spencer (1874-1965).
Autograph Letter Signed to Captain [Walter Vavasour] Faber MP, 3 pages 8vo, House of Commons, 10 June 1907. Concerning a misunderstanding over a question asked that day in the House of Commons.
Churchill thanks Faber for 'the courtesy of your note, which entirely removes from my mind the impression it had sustained'.

'... the Prime Minister had asked me to reply to your question, not because he was himself unable to be present, but because it falls properly within the sphere of the Colonial Office. It was because I thought you did not realise this, that I offered you the answer. But your acceptance of the piece of paper on wh[ich] it was written would not have invalidated your right to ask that it should be answered publicly across the floor of the House, if you so desired it, on a future occasion.'

Captain (later Lieutenant-Colonel) Walter Vavasour Faber, was member of parliament for Andover from 1906 until 1918. He had asked 'about a new line of steamships, cargo or otherwise, which it is proposed to run between Germany and Canada in the event of a favourable tariff arrangement'. Churchill told him that 'I have nothing to add to my Answser to a similar Question on 30th May', but had promised to make further enquiry. See Hansard, vol 175, c1072. Churchill had been appointed under-secretary of state for the colonies in December 1905, his first ministerial office.
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