But that, as General Croft says, is not the point.
The point is whether the Government mean to defend the practice of allowing a Government official to negotiate contraots with a firm in which members-of his own family are interested and which is in competition with other firms. That is wholly contrary to the traditions of our public life. For our part we have no doubt whatever that everything that Mr. Boner Law says about Colonel Spurrier's excellent record as an officer and an official is true, but Colonel Spurrier has been put into a thoroughly false position which is not fair to him. If ho is required by Lord Inverforth to negotiate Government business with his relations then Lord Inverforth has much to answer for. That Colonel Spurrier has made the best bargains he believed himself capable of making in the public interest we thoroughly believe. But this again is not the point. The mischief is that there should be any appearance of evil and especially an appearance of evil which could have been avoided by common-sense and ordinary foresight on the part of the Government.
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