14 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL SESSION, 1909 



As I am sure to be charged with starving the 

 Army, this remark will prove very helpful. His 

 second sentence is even of greater value to me, as 

 it defines the power and personal responsibility of 

 the Commander-in-Chief for the financial adminis- 

 tration of the Army: 



" This Budget debate has a special importance 

 of its own ; for it is the first time that a member of 

 Your Excellency's Government has addressed this 

 Council, charged, under Your Excellency's orders, 

 with undivided responsibility for both the effi- 

 ciency and the economical administration of the 

 Army in India." 



He then proceeded to render an account of his 

 stewardship during his tenure of office, and he 

 certainly established a just claim for long and 

 faithful service in India. 



I would add " and invaluable " but for the fact 

 he has, in my opinion, taken far too much into his 

 own hands, and created a " one-man " administra- 

 tion which, minus its creator, is likely to crumble 

 to pieces. 



The more I see of Kitchener the more I am dis- 

 posed to call him " the man of contradictions." 

 I am convinced that he would gladly be burned at 

 the stake rather than save his life at the cost of a 

 lie. Of this I am confident. But to get the best 

 of a deal in the interest of his country, I have 

 known him lie like the proverbial trooper. 



I well remember, when I was his Financial 

 Adviser during the South African War, the effron- 

 tery with which he gained his point when driving 

 a bargain with a transport company. He had 

 determined to cancel one of the appalling " agree- 



