"REWARD FOR SUPPORT.”

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 6362, 9 November 1907, Page 9

"REWARD FOR SUPPORT.”

A REHABILITATED COMPANY. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright LONDON, November The Admiralty and War Office are willing to replace Oammell and Jjaird on the contractors’ list if the company is reconstituted and the managing directors are removed; also it tho methods of working are altered. * The company agrees to this course. On July 11th, Sip-Henry Campbell-Banner-man, Prime Minister, was heckled in tho House of Commons regarding the knighthood conferred on Sir James Smith. The latter was a director of the Ayrshire Foundry Company, upon whose conduct in concealing, by an electric welding, a large fault in a rudder casting built into the battleshjp King Edward VII., the Committee of Public Accounts animadverted strongly. On© of the company’s dismissed employees divulged tho deception, and as a result the company became bankrupt owing to the loss of Admiralty orders. Sir James Smith was a prominent electioneering supporter of Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman. A few days later, Mr Hugh O. Lea-, M.P., in a letter in "The Times," alleged that "honours were bought and sold, the proceeds going into tho war chest of the party in office." This letter was referred to in the House of Commons a b a breaoh of privilege, but on the motion of tbe Prim© Minister the House ignored the matter.