The Prince of Wales' Debts.

Clutha Leader, Volume I, Issue 28, 21 January 1875, Page 7

The Prince of Wales' Debts.

+ _ It is embarrassing, the ' Examiner' maintains, to hear the cause of the Prince of Wales's poverty. :It is all owing, we are told, to the duties which he does on behalf of her Gracious Majesty. A grateful country has always voted the money for the^payment of the regal gaieties, and that money must be lying somewhere. No doubt the officers of the Prince's household will easily find it on applying* to the Queen. Having paid the money already, Parliament will certainly -not pay it again, and of course „it will be paid by the Queen. The mere insinuation that it will not is an insult to her Majesty. If the advisers of the Prince should counsel him to ask Parliament for a. fresh supply of money, the House should appoint a Select Committee to ascertain the precise nature of the Royal" duties, and to see what they cost According to the " ' Times,' the Prince has done the duties of entertaining partner for the small sum of from £10,000 to £20,000 a year. We may put the total expense down at £40*000 a year. But the household of her Majesty costs the nationnearly .£40.0,060 and the total charge for the wnole'of the Royal Family isnot far short; of a million. Looking -for. a' moment) however, at ;.the Sovereign alone, and deducting the £40,000 for .entertainr ments, we find that royalty: costs the, nation more than -£300,000 > a. year. We have the profoundest respect tor her gracious Majesty, and. she- is- the best :> of all; : constitutional] sovereigns. But the Select .Qpmmitte8 k ,wilLh%ve toask what does her gracious, Majesty do, and when -it t finds. > tbajb she -only signs berime,, it* may perhaps ask whether £300,000 is not .a, very large t ,sum jto pay for. a ta^k which, in the,,pui>jig, offices would be aucyghf recompettse^i )>y a hundred and fif^piUlß *£<s*££ 'VT j ,-"■! .'" ■'■! c ,-'t '.": : --J; *&ZZ 5.T' ;'-•.* -•.II ; \-