EMINENT FINANCIER

Taranaki Daily News, 17 August 1935, Page 7

EMINENT FINANCIER

DEATH AFTER MOTOR ACCIDENT. SERVICES DURING THE GREAT WAR By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright. Berlin, Aug. 15. Sir Basil Blackett, K.C.8., K.C.5.1., the British financier, was motoring to Hesse when a train crashed into his car at a level crossing at Giessen. He died following an operation. Sir Basil, who was finance member of the Executive Council of the GovernorGeneral of India, had a distinguished career. After graduating at Oxford he entered the British Treasury in 1904. He was secretary to the Indian Finance and Currency Commission in 1913-14 and to the Capital Issues Committee in 1915. In October, 1914, he went on a special mission to the United States Government to discuss exchange problems arising out of the Great War. The following year he again visited the United States as a member of the Anglo-French financial mission that raised the Anglo-French loan of 500,000,000 dollars. Other important posts held by Sir Basil included membership of the National War Savings Committee, representation of the British Treasury in the United States and the controllership of finance in the Treasury.