Honours Scandal.

Hokitika Guardian, 19 July 1922, Page 1

Honours Scandal.

AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION. LONDON, July 17. There was a full attendance in the House of Commons for the debate on the question of the manner in which honours arc bestowed. A notice of motion had been given by Mr LockerLampson to have a, special committee make an enquiry into the whole matter and devise a better system. The Government, in view of a division had issued an urgent whip, fearing that many of the Coalitionists would abstain from attending. Mr Chamberlain was cheered on returning after his illness. Mr Loeker-Lampson in moving his resolution, said that the public confidence ha s been gravely shaken over the recent events regarding honours. The scandal had reached such dimensions that a full enquiry was demanded. Air Lloyd George stated that there had been a considerable increase in tho number of honours granted during the last forty years. It was due to wealth of the population, and also to th t . setting up of a new order, which had. democratised the honours. Attempts had been made to undermine the public confidence and they had succeeded, and therefore it was dosiiable that there should he an enquiry. The list of honours during the last six years had been exceptionally heavy on account of the wars, hut only four names had been questioned. The Premier said it would he an outrage if the enquiry were confined to tho last five ye ars, with a view to attacking the present Government. Ho claimed that the purely political honours during the last six years showed a smaller percentage of the total than at any previous time in the history of the country. He declared that contributions to the Tarty funds was emphatically not the chief or the decisive consideration in the bestowal of honours. If the House desired to terminate the political list, let it do so deliberately; hut if it did, it woul<^ leave a gap, and discontinue a system that had been sanctioned by the noblest and purest. If tho system were abolished, the danger was that political organisation would lapse, and the alternative was political chaos. Some of Germany’s worst blunders, he asserted, weio due to her want of political organisation. Germany’s sudden collapse in 1918, he said, was largely due to the fact. ’['he Government, added AH' Lloyd George, was prepared to appoint a Royal Commission to assist the Prime Minister in making • honours recommendations. Air Asquith recalled that while Prime Alinistcr lie Had performed a thankless task in submitting nine birthday 'honours lists, which included many political opponents. No excep-

tion was taken to a single name on the score of unworthiness. It was obligatory on the person who took polities.seriously to subscribe to tbe limit of bis power to his Party’s funds. The walls of Jericho did not fall before

an orchestral blast, even with choral accompaniment. They had to he sapped and mined, and the sapping and mining under the conditions of modern strategy wore a laborious and costly operation. He did not him-

self with any vulgar clap trap agains'

Party funds, which" were essential to political warfare. He welcomed the enquiry, and did not care how far it went hack.

In the Honours debate, Air dynes said that if government by the Party system, depended upon such honours trafficing, then the Party system had better go. The Prime Alinister had not satisfactorily answered the question of whether cheques were required to secure honours. To use the functions of government in order to fill the coffers of a Party was to degrade politics and to besmirch the Parliamentary system.

A similar honours debate took place in the House of Lords on a motion by Lord Salisbury to appoint a committee of seven Lords to consider methods of submitting tlie names for the King’s consideration.

Lord Birkenhead refused to accept this proposal saying that a Royal Commission should he appointed by the King to advise on the procedure to be adopted in future, and to assist the Prime Alinister in making recommendations.

Lord Salisbury withdrew his motion. Lord Birkenhead agreed to this course. Th u Duke of Northumberland quoted several instances of persons receiving the offer of honours for a payment ol money in a letter. The letter stated . “1 am authorised to offer you a British Empire Order.—No nonsenso of that kind—but tho real thing. The knighthood will ho £12,000 sterling, and the baronetcy £35,000.” During the progress of the Commons debate Air I’agecroft asked whether there was a single newspaper which mid supported the Government consistently tor a year whose Editor or Proprietor had not been honoured. While Sir Ronald McNeill was speaking and criticising Lord Waring’s peer, age. the latter shouted from the distinguished strangers’ gallery: “That is false 1”

An attendant remonstrated with him

Interviewed later, Lord Waring, expressed his regret for violating the rules of the House, hut he declared he gave way to his teelin'gs. He intended to make a statement in. the House of Lords.

Sir R. McNeill then referred to the case of Lord Forres who formerly was Mr Archibald Williamson,, n Member of the House of Commons. Ho said lie had been informed that Lord Forres’s firm (Balfour, Williamson and Company) was so notorious for trading with the enemy in Buenos Avres and Valparaiso, that the Foreign Office had drafted twenty-four accusations against them which the Consul-General had confirmed,

Sir R. AfcNeill caused a sensation in tho Houso by saying Unit a Foreign Office document was quoted m a letter written bv Lord Forres to bis Chilian branch, stating that it wns not necessary to pay undue attention to the >egulations against trading with the enemy, as he was in a position to see they did not get into trouble. Mr Alarriott moved to amend Air Locker-Lampson’s motion in favour oi a Royal Commission instead of a Select Committee. Mr Chamberlain, in replying, said it would he a bad day for tbe country if they excluded from honours all who tendered services to their party hi all .' capacity provided they personally and publicly wore worthy. The Government could not accept the amendment The motion was then talked out. It is understood, that, although the motion was indecisive, a Royal Commission will bo appointed.