On the Motion for the second reading of the Appropria-
tion Bill on Monday, Mr. Burdett-Coutts repeated his regrets that the South African Commission had not been given compulsory powers, and charged Mr. Balfour and the Government with a certain lack of sympathy and seriousness in the matter. In his reply Mr. Balfour somewhat lost his temper, and was guilty of a roughness towards Mr. Burdett- Coutts which his conduct did not deserve. It is so easy to make sledge-hammer retorts to that unfortunate gentleman that Mr. Balfour, in yielding to the temptation, goes far to assist his opponent's case. We have always believed that the charges, made in all sincerity, were exaggerated, but we have insisted upon the need of a full and fair investigation, and Mr. Burdett-Coutts's criticisms upon the Commission, made in the interests of its effectiveness, are worthy at least of a courteous hearing. It is so rarely that Mr. Balfour errs in this respect that the fault of temper and policy is the more noticeable.
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