§ 6. Lieut.-Colonel ANGUS McDONNELLasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will take into consideration the question of embodying in the terms of engagement of personnel joining the Colonial Office a proviso that a period of service in one or more of the Crown Colonies will be a necessary qualification for promotion to the more responsible positions in the Colonial Office?
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GOREMy right hon. Friend has much sympathy with the proposal and he is considering the advisability of including in the terms of engagement of all personnel joining the Colonial Office in the future a proviso that they may have to do one or more tours of service overseas.
§ Mr. CAMPBELLWill the hon. Gentleman urge upon the Colonial Secretary, if this is agreed to, that the term of service in the Colonies or the Dominions shall be of such length that those who go there get more than superficial knowledge, and are really capable, when they come home, of knowing what they are talking about?
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GOREWhile I sympathise with the hon. Gentleman's point 7 of view, I would point out that very soon after they come home, even if they have been for some little time in the country, they must necessarily get out of date in their information, and that the character of the service in the Colonial Office and in the Colonial Service overseas is very different.