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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

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21 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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Participa-

Colonial

Office

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the fullest powers of discussion and arrangement with the Resident Commissioner, but that any decision as to the acceptance or rejection of such arrangements, or any part of them, must be reserved to the Board of Directors itself."

In

26. The West African and East African Departments tion by the would doubtless welcome any arrangement calculated to relieve them of the work of negotiating concessions; Inevitable. but, for the reasons stated in the preceding paragraph, it is doubtful whether the giving of wider discretion to the Governors would have the desired result. the case of the East Africa Protectorate, it may be noted that, in 1910, the Secretary of State informed the Governor that he was fully prepared to leave him great freedom in dealing with concessions, subject to the observance of any general guiding principles which might have been laid down. In spite of this, questions connected with concessions are frequently referred home by the Governor.

Continu- ance of the Com. mittee.

Minutes by Colonel Seely and Lord Crewe.

Value of

the Com-

mittee.

27. As it is thus, in practice, found impossible to keep the Colonis! Office clear of the negotiations in special cases, the further question arises whether the Committee should be continued in order to consider and report upon such of those cases as may be referred to it by the Departments. Often the question raised is a comparatively simple one and can be dealt with by the Department unaided, either in the light of previous experience or on other grounds; but a number of the cases involve either new questions or points of sufficient importance to warrant reference to the Committee.

28. In this connection attention may be drawn to the following minutes written by Colonel Seely and Lord Crewe on the 31st March, 1910.

COLONEL SEELY: "

on the general question

of the continued existence of the Concessions Committee I think it would be a pity if the Committee were to gradually die away, as seems likely, unless we take steps to keep it alive. Mr. Cox tells me that Lord Elgin started it primarily to secure co-ordination between the different departments. I do think that there is a real risk of our getting into watertight compartments, and anything which tends to obviate this ought to be encouraged. There is the added advantage that if the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State attends he is forced to know what is being done in the matter of concessions, knowledge of which may at any moment be very badly wanted in the House of Commons." [N.B. The last sentence is, of course, not applicable in present circumstances.]

Lord CHEWE: "It must be clearly understood that the principle laid down by Lord Elgin, and explained in Colonel Seely's minute above, has to be fully maintained, and that reference to the Committee must not be left to chance or the option of particular Departments. If the system is properly managed, it ought not to give rise to any reduplication of work."

29. As already indicated the Committee ie rarely called upon to consider concessions in the West Indian and Eastern Colonies and Protectorates. Therefore, any change of policy would mainly affect the Colonies and Protectorates in West and East Africa; and, as regards these possessions, the Departments concerned are satisfied that examination by the Committee has been of value in securing the consideration of points which are liable to

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be overlooked in territories where civilised government and development are in their infancy,

30. It may be urged that the work of the Committee Advantages involves a disproportionate expenditure of time and labour, of Com- owing to the fact that a discussion of (say) one hour by the mittee. ordinary panel involves the expenditure of from eight to ten hours of official time which might be devoted to other matters. When the Committee was first set up this con- sideration undoubtedly gave rise to a feeling that the meetings would be an encroachment on time which could otherwise be devoted to the affairs of the respective Departments. Experience has, however, largely modified, if not entirely altered, this idea. Considerable importance is attached to the interchange of views among the members of the Com- mittee; and, as indicated in the preceding paragraph, the representatives of those Departments which deal most fre- quently with concessions readily admit the assistance derived from its deliberations. Further, the knowledge and experience so gained by the members of Departments not so immediately interested, undoubtedly constitute an addi- tional though subsidiary advantage.

31. Finally, the Committee considers that, in present Conclu- circumstances, it is desirable in the public interest to sion. maintain the existing system of dealing with concessions presenting exceptional or special features.

H. T. ALLEN,

(Clerk).

16th February, 1912.

EMMOTT,

(Chairman).

R. L. ANTROBUS. CHARLES

STRACHEY.

WALTER D. ELLIS.

G. GRINDLE.

C. T. DAVIS.

F. G. A. BUTLER.

R. E. STUBBS.