Richmond planet., 1900-12-15
ICHAMBERLAIN'S ORDEAL
"IAx Eor A soAspALous THIEF.

4 ~~-~-~@ ea~1A-&gAAee . ~
TAN KoT 4 soAErALoUs THIEF
| Thus Declares the CoIeafai seoxseery
o. RsDiyias e. Charges TA@s Ne
ana Kis Relatives Were Prsats.s
~ Govsrament war Contracts.
London, Dec. 11.--In the houss Of
eommons yesterday Mr. ID. Lloyd
George. Radical. member for Carnar-
ven district. brought together a series
/ OF accusations against Mr.. Chamber
Lain Shat bad been figuring In the
newspapers and moved that no member
81 the government ought to have d.
rect or indirect interest In concerns
competing for government contracts.
He pointed out that the secretary of
state for the colonies held $500 shares
and other members OF his family ST.
900 shares in the -Birminshnm trust,
which In turn was a share owner in the
Tubes Limited, making 10000 a year
cut OF government contracts. He as
serted also that Mr.. Chamberlain and
his relations held shares worth from
&230 900 TO szs0.eo0 in Eiliotts Metal
company. contractors to the admiralty,
and shares valusd at E7So, coo in KY
nech's Dynamite company, contractors
TO the war Office. After enumerating
other companies In which the Cham
herlain family. he asserted. hsd inter-
estsy Mr.. George declared that, he was
not attacking the private character OF
the rninister. but had raised the mat
tar because this case might be used ne
a precede1t later 20 justify corrup-
sion.-
After various speeches for and
against the resolution Mr.. Chamber
Lain replied:
1T II my personal lonor list Is in
yoived In this question:" he said. "and
i think II hard. after 20 years OF life In
the full light Of parliament to have to
stand Hy and exelsiu that am not q
/ sesEdalsus thief These attacks ara
monstSous and absurd. / took no no.
des Of the charges during the eleo-
ten. although there had been con-
spiraey or insinuation. I had been
charged vith fsttening on the profits
et . war had provoked.
"cf all the companies mentioned
hold shares In two. My relations In
/ tend to take legal proceedings and the
public will see how these abominable
charges will be dealt with by the
/ courts. My relations are all business
msa and have had to make their own
fortunes. I come OF q family which
boasts nothing OF distinguished birth
| or inherited wealth, hut has an un-
broken record for nearly two centuries
OF unstained commercial integrity.
| Never during the whole course OF my
| political career have / been asked te
use my influence to secure pecuniary
gain for myself or my relations" -.
Proceeding to explain his connection
with the two companies Mr.. Chamber
fain said he had Joined the Colombo
company 70 years ago. It's shares had
never been quoted on the stock ex-
change. The contract to build huts for
5oer prisoners In Ceylon was given
TO the Colombo company on the re-
sponsibility Of the local government,
without any communication with him
| self.
So far as the Birmingham trust was
| concerned, he said, he knew nothing
whatever of It's Investments although
he had recently ascertained that there
was trffiug Investment In the Tubes
Limited, since his brother managed the
BUSINESS or that organization, but the
company's already small business with
the admiralty had largely decreased.
After having made further explana-
tfons OF similar kind, Mr.. Chamber
III
'Is 1t not hard to have to deal with
such rubbish as this? When ali Is reck-
onsd up perhaps my indirect interest
In government contracts is q few
pounds or even shillings And vet the
house OF commons is called upon to
pas solemn resolution which will not
| strike me, but will be self DENYING
ordinance for many members who do
not anticipate that result"
His son, Mr.. ]. Austen Chamberlain.
financial secretary to the treasury de-
partment, followed with similar de-
malls.
| Mr.. II. =. Haldane, Radical member
for Haddm Etonshire, and others spoke.
after which Mr.. Lloyd-George's mo-
tfon, which was offered az an amend
ment to the address. was rejected by
| q vote Of 2s9 to 127.
Mr.. Arthur j. Balfeur, the govern
| Ment leader, then moved the closure.
which was carried BY 25s votes against
lee. sze the address to the throne was
sSsDtsS BY 2es votes against as.