§ 19. Sir J. NORTON-GRIFFITHSasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if any suggestion has reached 215 him from the Colonies with regard to the desirability of the appointments of secretaries to Colonial Governors being held in future by officials of the Colonial Office; if so, whether he has considered the matter; and whether, seeing that such officials would thereby acquire a first-hand knowledge of Colonial conditions, which would, on their return to the Colonial Office in London, be of the greatest value to the State and to our Colonial administration, and would tend to facilitate relations between the Crown Colonies and this House, he will consider the adoption of this suggestion?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLThe answer to the first part of the question is in the negative and the second part therefore does not arise. Secretaries to Governors are members of the Governor's personal staff and it would be difficult to second an officer from the Colonial Office to serve in such a capacity. My predecessors and I fully realise the advantage gained by making arrangements whenever possible for officials from the Colonial Office to visit Colonies, and no reasonable opportunity for such visits is missed, but there are serious difficulties in the way of laying down any stereotyped rules as suggested by my hon. and gallant Friend.