§ 24. Mr. STEWARTasked if Mr. Stubbs, of the Colonial Office in London, has been appointed Colonial Secretary of Ceylon; and, if so, what length of service has Mr. Stubbs had in Crown Colonies abroad, and in Ceylon in particular?
Mr. HARCOURTI have selected Mr. Stubbs for the post in question. He has served for nearly twelve years in the Eastern Department of the Colonial Office, 504 but has not hitherto served in any of the Colonies, except that he carried out a special mission in the Malay Peninsula and Hong-Kong two years ago, very much to my satisfaction.
§ Mr. STEWARTHas the right hon. Gentleman any consolation to offer those Gentlemen who have spent their lives in the Colonial service, and who now find themselves superseded by an appointment of this sort?
Mr. HARCOURTIt cannot for a moment be admitted that Mr. Stokes was not in the Colonial service, nor would any member of the Colonial service consider the Colonial Office outside it.