On Thursday in the House of Commons Mr. Rupert Gwynne
moved for the appointment of a Select Committee to inquire into the administration of Indian finance, especially in relation to the recent silver purchases and distribution of cash balances. Mr. Bonar Law dealt at some length with the question of the connexion of the Government with the firm of Samuel, Montagu and Co. While explaining that personally be had no doubt as to the honour of any member upon the Treasury Bench, he maintained that it was impossible to be too careful in cases of this kind, and that "the very last thing you ought to do is to give Government business which might be of special value to a firm which is specially connected with the Government." Mr. Asquith, in his reply, expressed his complete agreement with this view, but held that such considerations should not interfere with contracts which were clearly to the public advantage. And such, he argued, was the present contract. With regard to the cash balances Mr. Asquith said that he thought the time had come to appoint a Royal Commission for inquiring into the whole question. We can only find space on the present occasion to observe how many and bow great difficulties and worries the Government would have escaped had they acted on the principle which the Spectator has for the past twelve years pressed upon them and their predecessors : " Whenever money considerations are involved in public transactions Ministers must show the maximum of delicacy and discretion."
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