EXONERATED.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1777, 16 June 1913, Page 5

EXONERATED.

MINISTERS & MARCONI. COMMITTEE DIVIDED. SEVERE MINORITY REPORT. . — ! TOO LITTLE FRANKNESS. By Tslepraph—Press Association—Copyright (Rec. Juno 14, 5.5 p.m.) London, June 14. The report of tho Parliamentary Committeo of Inquiry on the circumstances surrounding the contract made by the Imperial Government with the Slarconi Company finds that the members of the Ministry who acquired shares in the American Marconi Company, acted in the sincere belief that there was nothing in their action that conflicted with their duty to tho Crown, and there was no foundation for the newspaper charges, which appeared to have originated on the Stock Exchange. There was no evidence to support the allegation that any Minister had exercised influence on behalf of tho Marconi Company, to enable it to secure the contract, or that any Minister had advantaged himself by knowledge acquired officially. The report condemns the publication of unfounded charges against Mr. LloydGeorge (Chancellor of the Exchequer), Sir Rufus Isaacs (Attorney-General), and Mr. Herbert Samuel (Home Secretary). None of the purchases made by Sir Rufus Isaacs or Lord Murray of Elibank were in any way corrupt. The minority report drawn up by Lord Robert Cecil declares that Ministers were not influenced in the discharge of their duties, and did not make use of their official knowledge for investment or speculation, but Sir Rufus Isaacs acted with grave impropriety in making advantageous purchases upon advice that was not available to the public, and had placed himself unwittingly in a position where his private interest might have conflicted with his public duty. Mr. Lloyd-OcOTge and Lord Murray of Elibank were open to similar censure. The agreement with the Government was the essential factor of the whole structure of Mr. Marconi's finance. Tho American shares wero at Mr. Godfrey Isaacs's disposal, as agent of the English Company, and his offer to his brother, Sir Rufus Isaacs; might be duo to fraternal affection, but in view of the Tumours and the Parliamentary attack on the contract, an impression had been created that it was partly due to less creditable motives. There was clearly a Bpeculativo element in the Minister's transactions, and the Ministers' reticence was the occasion, for persistent pres3 rumours. The original report of Sir Albert Spicer, Chairman of the Committee, considered that it would have been better if Sir Rufus 'Isaacs had not acquired his American Shares because the relationship of tho English and American companies was calculated to create misoonception. The report added that if Ministers had furnished tho facts subsequently disclosed in the libel aotion brought by Sir Rufus Isaacs ligainst the French newspaper "Le Matin," much misunderstanding -would have been averted.

NEWSPAPER COMMENTS. BITTER PARTY FEELING. (Reo. June 15. 5.5 p.m.) London, June 14. The press comments on the Marconi Committeo's report follow party lines, and each side accuses the other of creating an atmosphere of poisonous partisanship. All welcome the exoneration of the Ministers on the charges of 'corrup- - tion. The "Daily Chronicle" (Liberal) 6ays the opening for misconstruction should have been avoided, and refers to the extraordinary lack of knowledge exhibited by Mr. Lloyd-George and Lord Murray of Elibank regarding Stock Exchange affairs. "The Times" (Conservative) 6ays the mistakes and indiscretions would have been avoided if the Ministers had not been thinking more- of money-making than of the responsibility and dignity of their office. The "Daily Mail" (Unionist) 6ays a tribunal of political factions is no proper court to deal with the honour of public men. The Committee's verdict was not impartial, but proceeded on deeply biased lines; MAECONI COMPANY'S PROFITS... ' ' London, June 131 The annual report of the Marconi Wireless Telegraphy . Company, Ltd., shows a profit of £24,400. A dividend of 10 per cent, is recommended, and tho carrying forward of .£3IOO. Exclusive of warships, 1700 ships have been fitted with Marconi wireless apparatus.