62
CROWN AGENTS.
Act.
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(February 4, 1907.
POWERS AND PERSIA.
Russia four years ago
formed a design to extinguish Japan, and create herself the arbiter of Asia. As six centuries earlier Japan had risen to the occasion, and defected the arms of Kublai Khan, so on this she succeeded in preventing the over-running of Korean, and kept the Russian arms at bay till anter nations, in the interests of peace, intervened, and persuaded the two combitants to come t› The attack on a mutual underst india g. Japan had not proceeded from the wiser and cooler healed of Russian statesman, but had been instigated by a young and inexprienced Tsar, led astray by a band of irrepressible chauvinists; while the great body of her people ware openly opposed to
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THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND right of control, be asked to sanction expenditure that would go in part towards the maintenance of the Crown Agents'
(Daily Press, 28th January.) (Daily Press, January 26th.)
One of the most curious, if not the Last month, as we have already reported office. Face to faer with this poser, the
most curious of the any in our news columns, the question of the UNDER SECRETARY was less confident, and absolutely Crown Agents was again brought to the weakly pointed out that the system provides reversals of policy which have marked the notice of the members of the House of for an audit of the accounts of grant-in-aid last few years, seems about to be accom Persia. The Commons. Apparently a det ›rmined effor, colonies, He apparently was able to see, plished with regard to is to be made to force an issue, with which what the Crown Agents' critics have never alteration has not been brought about by change of of Colonial (lost sight of, that such control as the any definite change of men or movement a greit amount
but. has been the natural sympathy is expected to be ass ciated, for SECRETARY OF STATE is supposed to intention, the matter has been shelved too long, and exercise was unpractical and unefficacious, i ontgrowth of events of quite a different he said, the House of nature and in a quite different direction. in ways quite inconsistent with the priu. and in that ciples of government that were strengthened : Commous would no doubt be allowed to That Great Britain and Russia should by by the Ballot
Mr. WALKER's express its opinion. “upon some convenient | any possibility have anything in common in questions could not be argumentative- for opportunity." That reply merely pressed their regards towards Persi would five that is unparliamentary—but they were so upou the sore; the mischief is that oppor-years ago have semed too ridiculous to be even discussed as within the scope of the ingeniously framed as to throw into pro- tunities to disenss the Crown Aginta,
practical politician; to-day it is openly minence “the unconstitutional and anomal- | entrenched as they are against all constitu- ous position" which the Crown Agents and tional procedure, do not constitutionally | spoken of as the most probable of events. They have to lis The two contributing circumstances which their defenders are oblige I to take up under ¦ present themselves. criticism. When the same Member of searched for, almost invented; and it is have led up to the volte face, have occurred actually on the two opposite coasts of the Parliament was officially told, six or seven, manifestly improper that a department so months ago, that the appointment of intimately concerned with the expenditure | great Eurasian Continent, an their effects nominees, without examination, to positions of public'money should be so protected from have been felt throughout all the inter- in the Crown Agents' office was a purely criticism and sheltered from investigation. | mediste countries, domestic matter affecting and interesting The crities have foun la splendid champion only the Crown Agents themselves, it was in Mr. WALKER, and Mr. CHURCHILL, Was felt that a most daring, almost insolent, not long in dise wering that he was crossing i challenge had been flung to those who are swords with a duelist too clever for him. Mr. WALKER asked him if there were any other anxious to see this nepotic blem sh on a democratic constitution doue away with. cas in whien grants of public money were Last month Mr. WALKER asked whether made without the corresponding right of Unwilling to admit, what the SECRETARY OF STATE would, in the ; public control. exercise of his general control and supr. the question charly made evident, that the vision over the conduct of the basiness of case of the Crown Agents presented an rules, the UNDER- the Crown Agents, consider whether greater exception to all efficiency would ensue if the present system, SECRETARY mumbled an evasive answer, for under which appointments to the staff of the purport of which the public had to the Crown Agents' office were made by wait the appearance of Hansard. Finally, nomination and without an examination of Mr. WALKER raised the question of the fees, and asked any kind, were replaced by a system under cousulting engineers'
whether the consulting engineers to the a war which had been forced on the nation which candidates were required to enter for a competitive ex unination in open coin- Crown Agents had anything to gain by at large by a small section of firebrands who Mr. WINSTON CHURCHILI recommending the construction of railways; had gained temporarily the ear of the Tsir. petition. replied that it was obviously desirable that whether they, or their representatives, were Uaconnected with the war, for many years a general approachment had been going appointments to Government services should employed and received remuneration for
on between France and England, the two be made either by competitive examination their services in connection with the con- or by selection after standard examination, struction of railways which had been principal western uations of Europe. This of undertaken upon their recommendation; had been brought about by an evident and promised that the SECRETARY STATE would consider whether such a re:orm aud if so, what had been the amount of intention of the Central European Powers could be conveniently effected in the system their remuneration from this source during to form amongst themselves a close alliance, one of the professed aims of which was to of appointineut to the staff of the Crown the last ten years, how was it assessed, an i Agents' office. But he declared that the from what fund or funds had it been paid establish a preponderating influence, hath - questions connected with such a change Mr. CHURCHILL replied that the consulting commercial and political, over the went, were complex, aud no decision could be engineers employed on behalf of the Crown | France and England had long been isolated Protectorat Goverumenta owing to old differsaces, but these had taken upon them at present. Though this Colony and
twitted with his advised only on such schemes were gradually passed away, or become reduced politician is often
to a few questions of little comparative youth, he has much of the acuteness of referred for their advice by the Colonini
hands, and he Governments with the sanction of older Parliamentary
the importance, whilst looming uncomfortably OF STATE. They did not aheid With the threatening torm-cloud promptly "hedged " by adding the rewark SECRETARY
Befor her, war that it must not be assumed that the recommend schemes in any other sense than of Germanic dominance.
with Japan, Germany had gone out of Secretary of STATE admitted any lack of that they stated the merils or demerits of
ber way to display her esteem for her efficiency in the Crown Agents' department. any project upon which they were called Whether it be so admitted or not does not upon to advise, from an engineering_point | neighbour Russia, but with the failure of really matter; the condition of affairs of view. Should the SECRETARY OF STATE the Russiau chauvinists to carry on their the general speaks for itself.
A Sikh night watch decide that any scheme should be carried policy of aggression, and man could be provided by a humane out, after the consulting engineers hal upheaval of the country consequent there. feather bed und a advised, their further advice was, if advice, ou, Germany began to aff et what sesmed employer with
to Russia
supercilious n somewhat was necessary, utilised in connection with blanket without admitting that he would
a teuder its execution. The cours· followed was the air; when therefore France in the most go to sleep on duty; and hearted mistress might over-feed her cat ordinary praction whenever professional natural way suggested that her frien is without admitting that its qualities as a advice in any branch was sought either by should also be friendly to one another, the Others would Governments or by private individuals. | notion, which two years previously would mouser would deteriorate. still know what to think; and unfortunately, How far it might be possible or expedient have he scout d, fell on not altogether Now Russia and Englaud in the case of the Crown Agents, there has to furnish a return of the nature desired, unwilling ears.
! been no dearth of evidence as to their lack required, he urged, further consideration. had both their own policies in Persis.
further co• But Mr. WALKER also In order to stimulate such
Englaud's interests were largely commercial, of efficiency.
constitutional sideration," Mr. WALKER at once gave and as such she felt herself opposed by attacked the subject on grounds. He asked the UNDER-SECRETARY notice that the return would be asked for. Russia, whose main aims were as largely whether, seeing that the funds available We are still waiting for that return, and political, but who in following her political prograinine, was as intently bent in closing for the maintenance of the Crown Agents' most anxious to give it what publicity we
to the outer world the avenues of coin- office were drawn in part from protectorales may, when it does cone.
mercial access as Eoglansi was herself bent which are largely financed by grants-in-aid
on opening then. The sequences of the from the Treasury, he would arrange that the House of Commons should not again,
war with Japan had taught thẹ powers that be in Russia that it was not always a safe until it had a practical and efficacious
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Haiphong is now to bare a Water Polic. Force. Its object is to exercise a more active supervision of the shipping and notably to prevent the abduction of children.
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