MARCONI SHARES.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1711, 31 March 1913, Page 5

MARCONI SHARES.

4 _ MINISTERS EXAMINED. SIR ' RUFUS ISAACS GROWS INDIGNANT. MR. LLOYD-GEORGE'S LOSSES. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Kec. March 30, 5.5 p.m.) London,' March 29, There was a crowdod attendance at the sitting of the Marconi Committee yesterday, when Sir Rufus Isaacs and Mr. Lloyd-George were subjected to a searching examination regarding their transactions in American Marconi shares. The examination of Sir Isaacs lasted Hi hours. Sir Rufus Isaacs, Attorney-General, hotly accused the Marconi Committee of trying him, and protested vehemently against the lies and fabrications published. He produced Mr. letters of August 15, 1912, counselling him not to notice the scurrilous rubbish published by a little-known paper. He admitted that Mr. Lloyd-Georgo and Loyd Murray of Elibank further purchased three thousand American Marconi shares. He did not refer to this in the "Matin" libel ease, bacauso he would have transgressed the rules of evidence. Mr. Lloyd-George, Chancellor of the Exchequer, gave ovidenco that ho and Lord Murray of Ulibank had purchased thrco thousand American Marconi shares on March 22 at 435. and had sold seme at 635. lid. He still held 1G43 shares, and the net result was that he had lost .£SOO. He added emotionally that he was a comparatively poor man, and the whole of his prosent investments would -only yield .£4OO annually. It was made absolutely clear to him that the American company had no interest in the English company's contract with the Government. Xo question of indiscretion entered his mind. The transaction was perfectly clean and straight-forward. When questioned respecting the standard for public men laid down in his "Caesar's Wife" speech- upon Mr. Cham- • berlain, in December, 19C0, Mr. LloydGeorge said he was quite prepared to be judged on the principles he had then laid down. He threatened if ho were examined on that debate lie should have to go into the whole business. He thought the Postmaster-General had got the best of the bargain with the Marconi Company. The company's withdrawal from its contract would not affect the American company's profits cA- shares.

QUESTION-IN PARLIAMENT. London, March 28. Mr. Herbert Samuel, Postmaster-Gen-eral, in replying to a question in the House of Commons, admitted that lie know in August last-. Sir Itufus Isaacs riul Mr. Lloyd-George held shares in tho American Marconi Company.