§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILLI beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will state on what grounds he has declined to sanction the retention by Sir Ernest Blake, as one of the Crown Agents, of a directorship in a public company which he had held for a considerable time.
§ THE SECRETARY of STATE FOR THE COLONIES (Mr. LYTTELTON,) Warwick and LeamingtonI may be allowed to repeat what I said in the debate on the Colonial Vote that Sir Ernest Blake accepted the directorship in accordance with precedent, and his association with the company had been absolutely honourable and worthy and had really inured to the benefit of the public service. Since I have held my present office, I have had constantly to consider the position and the duties of the Crown Agents, which in some respects are different from, but in others very similar to, those of ordinary public servants of the Crown. In this matter of holding directorships, after much consideration I was unable to draw any clear or satisfactory distinction between the case of Civil servants and that of the Crown Agents. It therefore appeared to me that the rule which prohibited British Civil servants from becoming directors of public companies should embrace the case of the Crown Agents, and that, as Sir Ernest Blake had placed himself unreservedly in my hands, I had not seen any sufficient reason for postponing the bringing into operation of the rule in question.
§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILLWill the right hon. Gentleman apply the same rule and dismiss himself from the directorships he holds?
§ MR. LYTTELTONSince the question has been asked, I may say that since I have been in office I have accepted no Percentage remuneration, and I have performed no services in respect to public companies with which I am connected.