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TITLE C.O.885
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO:
19 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
IX
CROWN AGENTS' ENQUIRY COMMITTEE:
the Committee think, a mistaken view. The Committee cannot learn that there are other large firms doing an extensive export business which adopt such arrangements, and they are satisfied from the evidence that considerablo saving would be effected by the Crown Agents by dispensing with outside Shipping Agents and doing the business in a Department of their own.
88. Further it appears to the Committen to be essential for the satisfactory execution of all orders received from the various Colonial Governments, that from the moment when those orders have been entrusted to one of the tendering or contracting firms, the Crown Agents should keep in touch with the progress of the contract, and should place themselves as far as possible in a position to insist upon the execution of the order by the proper day of delivery. The Committee have carefully enquired into this part of the Crown Agents' organization, and they find that under present arrangements there is practically no touch kept with an order after the time when it is entrusted to a particular firm. It is true that in regard to large machinery orders, the presence of the Inspector who is in charge of a particular contract is held to act, to some extent, as a check on behalf of the Crown Agents. Apparently the Works Department of the Crown Agents look to their inspectors to keep them informed if there is any probability of delay or any other point to which their attention should be drawn. Tho evidence on the point is, however, somewhat conflicting, and the Committee understand that even in the Works Department the general theory is that everything should be left in the hands of Messrs. Freeland. So far as the Crown Agents are concerned the chief check upon the contractors is an entry in a diary, at a date from two to ten days after the date on which the goods were due, and by which time therefore they should have heen shipped. This entry brings up the matter automatically, and if it is found that the bills of lading bave not been received, the contractors are then for the first time communicated with regarding the delay.
89. The Committee cannot regard this state of things as satisfactory. It appears to them that in this respect, the system of the Crown Agents breaks down at the very point at which it becomes important to secure a continuous supervision over the duties with which they are entrusted.
90. Further, the present system must lead to reduplication of correspondence, and to inadequacy of explanations given to the Colonial Government; for correspondence which depends for its information upon an outside source will never be so satisfactory as that which relies upon material which is part of the regular routine of the office.
91. The firm of Messrs. Freeland may be said to have grown up in the shadow of the Crown Agents. They do little business except for that Office, and are, in fact, dependent on it, although paid out of the general profits of the shipping business, and not by fixed salaries. The Committee are of opinion that the work could be done more effectively and more economically, if the duties now performed by Messrs. Freeland were transferred to a department of the Crown Agents' Office.
92. It does not appear to be necessary that there should be an office in the City for the sole purpose of carrying out the shipping business. The Committee have had the advantage of receiving the evidence of the head of the Shipping Department of the Army and Navy Stores, and they find that in his case a very extensive business, composed probably of much smaller parcels than is usual in the case of the Crown Agents, is done entirely from Westminster.
93. The Committee are aware that the carrying out of their recommendation would strike a severe blow at the firm of Messrs. Freeland, which, as they have said before, has grown up with the Crown Agents' Office. They make this recommendation, however, in the interests of the Crown Colonies, and they are sure that the Secretary of State will take such measures as will provide for all legitimate consideration for the interests of the existing firmu. For instance, it would be possible to defer the change for a short time, and it would be only reasonable to invite into the new
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Department of the Crown Agents' Office such member or members of the firm, and of their staff, as may be found necessary for carrying on the business under the new arrangements.
PACKING ARRANGEMENTS.
94. In their investigation of the Crown Agents' arrangements for shipping goods, the Sub-Committee's attention was drawn to the arrangements for packing certain of these goods before shipment. Clothing, textiles and many of the smaller articles purchased by the Crown Agents are sent from the manufacturers to a firm of ware- housemen and packers in the City which the Crown Agents have employed for the last fifty years. There, after inspection by the Crown Agents' inspectors, they are sized, sorted, and packed for export. In addition, this firm keep on their premises and manage for the Crown Agents a store of clothing and accoutrements for the use of the Tropical African military forces, for which the firm receives an extra payment
for rent.
95. Prima facie it would appear desirable that the Crown Agents should as far as possible perform such work for themselves, both in the interests of economy and because if they possessed a warehouse in which the goods could be inspected they would be able to exercise a more effective supervision over their inspectors. The Committee desire to invite the attention of the Secretary of State to the question, and to express their opinion that if it should be found practicable to establish a Crown Agents' warehouse, the Department should undertake also the work of packing.
PUBLICATION OF CROWN AGENTS' ACCOUNTS.
96. Hitherto the Colonial Governments have been afforded but scanty information as to the revenue and expenditure of the Crown Agents' Office Fund. In 1904, it is true, abstracts of the account for the three years, 1900-1902, were laid before Parliament, and the receipts of the Office for the years 1899-1906 have been published, Cd. 2241. but the Committee consider that some misapprehensions would be removed, and that II. of C., it would be more satisfactory, if the accounts of the Office and Reserve Funds, when 24/1904. audited by the Comptroller and Auditor-General, together with a list of the establish- Ho C
181/1907. ment and the salaries paid, were published annually in such a form as to be easily
available.
RELATION OF OFFICE TO INDIVIDUAL COLONISTS.
97. There is one matter which has suggested itself to the Committee as worthy of the Secretary of State's attention in any proposals for bringing the Crown Agents more into touch with the Colonies which they serve. From time to time there must be many persons, both amongst officials of the Colonies and amongst members of the Councils or Municipalities, who, on coming to this country, possibly for the first time, may need direction or advice. In the case of the self-governing Dominions the Committee understand that it is a part of the regular business of the Agent-General to afford help as far as possible to such persons. The Committee recognise that in the case of the Crown Colonies much is done in this way by the Colonial Office. Nevertheless they cannot but think it desirable that the Crown Agents should also arrange for a small bureau in their Department, on the good offices of which such colonists and officials could rely. The Committee believe that such an arrangement would not only be useful to the persons whom it was intended to benefit, but would also foster a better understanding and more cordial relations between the Crown Agents and the com- munities which they serve.
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