Men in public life who are also in business, and
especially in company business, should be made to feel that they must be meticulously careful as to their directorships. Instead, an opinion seems to have grown up that men may be careless and casual in such matters as long only as they are not personally corrupt in act or intention. Lord Salisbury while Prime Minister was very much to blame in refusing to insist that Cabinet Ministers should not hold directorships while in office. We may add that Mr. Justice Buckley's judgment contained some much-needed strictures upon those who seem to think it consistent with their honour to take what are in fact presents of money. "In the absence of near relationship, long acquaintance, or special circumstances one man cannot (at any rate, as between men of equal social standing) offer to another without offence, nor the other accept without loss of self-respect, a present of money or shares or the like." It was almost in these words that, in dealing with the llooley case, we expressed our indignation and surprise that men of position, good faith, and good breeding could accept what were in effect presents in money, or its equivalents, from com- pany promoters.
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