The Marcon Scandal

Waikato Argus, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5341, 23 June 1913, Page 3

The Marcon Scandal

CABLEGRAMS i

United Press Association. By Electric Telegraph—Copyright

The Rules of Prudence Received 5.5 p.m., 22nd. London, June 21. Leading Unionist papers deplore the fact that the House did not rise above partisanship in connection with the Marconi debate. The Daily Mail says that the debate should have ended when Sir Rufus Isaacs and Mr Lloyd-George confessed their error and quitted the House. Some Unionist papers regard Mr Bonar Law’s rejection of the compromise as a mistake. Mr Asquith, in enumerating his rules of prudence, said that ministers should abstain from transactions where private interests and public duty might conflict, should not use official knowledge for private ends, or use official influence for the furtherance of contracts in which they had undisclosed private interests. They should not accept favours from persons seeking contractual relations with the Stale, nor should they make speculative investments where, in their official capacity, they had information not in the possession of the public. Ministers should avoid even a colourable infraction of these rules.