Science and Colonial Development 



full power to examine the accounts, and to obtain 

 all information necessary for a reasoned criticism 

 of the estimates. This system, however, though 

 it works well in France, might not bear transplan- 

 tation to the United Kingdom, where full govern- 

 mental responsibility attaches to all proposals 

 made upon ministerial authority. Hence, the 

 only Finance Committee, apart from the House 

 as a whole, is the Public Accounts Committee, 

 which, useful as is its work, is concerned solely 

 with the audit of accounts, and is, therefore, un- 

 able to exercise any preventive check upon wasteful 

 expenditure, or to promote advisable expenditure. 

 As the best obstacle to extravagance, Mr. M'Kenna 

 advocates the re-establishment of efficient control 

 by the Treasury under the guidance of a strong 

 Chancellor of the Exchequer. It might also, he 

 thinks, be advisable to set up a Committee to 

 which a Minister could refer matters relating 

 to the estimates at his discretion ; and it may 

 be added that matters relating to the Colonial 

 Civil Service estimates would be particularly 

 suitable for such a reference, as not involving, 

 in the majority of cases, any issue of party 

 controversy. 



In these tentative suggestions, the writer is 

 groping for some method which shall secure the 

 more economical but, at the same time, more 

 scientific development of the crown colonies and 

 protectorates. When a grave crisis arises in any 

 colony or group of colonies, it must of course be 

 dealt with by a special procedure. Such was the 



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