CO129-347 - Governor Sir Lugard - 1908 [4-6] — Page 251

Crown Agents, since direct shipments from England would

involve the building of larger magazines and the employ-

248

-ment of guards &c., while the abandonment of the existing

contract with Messrs. Jardine, Matheson and Company,

Limited, and the negotiation of a new one with Messrs.

Nobel and Company for local supply through their Agents

though identical in practice would involve higher rates.

3.

If then the object of the inter-

-vention of the Crown Agents is based upon an assumption

that "unnecessary expense "will be saved to the Colony

thereby, it appears clear that in cases where it can he

demonstrated that expense can be saved without that in-

-tervention it should be dispensed with.

4.

I have never been able to very

clearly understand what function was performed by the

Crown Agents in their general intervention and supervision

of Colonial Railway Construction, when the local Government

already has and pays for the services of Consulting

Engineers in England, through whom employés can be engaged,

and materials ordered

Ka

a method which would ensure equally

a preference to British workmen and British goods.

5.

Since the taxpayers of the Colony

pay the cost of the construction, I would venture to ask

Your

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