the days of my life

第82部分 (第6/7頁)

replied　that　one　permanent　Royal　mission　to　deal　with　the　whole　Development　Grant　y　ideas；　provided　that　Afforestation　was　adequately　represented　thereon。

I　asked　how　many　he　would　have　on　the　mission。　He　replied　that　he　feared　that　it　must　be　a　large　one；　as　he　supposed　it　would　be　necessary　to　put　on　representatives　of　the　various　Public　Offices。

A　discussion　then　ensued　as　to　who　would　be　the　best　Chairman　for　the　Development　Board　or　mission。　We　talked　over　various　names　that　seemed　to　fulfil　the　qualifications　he　considered　necessary；　namely；　that　this　Chairman　should　be　a　man　of　rank　and　wealth　if　possible。　As　regards　this　point　he　said　that　there　was　some　force　in　the　criticism　that　the　proposed　Development　Board　might　possibly　bee　a　tool　of　party　or　other　subtle　form　of　corruption；　and　even　descend　to　the　perpetration　of　jobs。

I　suggested　that　the　way　to　avoid　this　would　be　to　put　on　it　none　but　men　of　the　highest　character　who　were　known　to　be　impartial　and　open…minded　and　who　were　generally　respected　by　the　country。　He　agreed。

The　names　suggested　for　the　Chairmanship；　so　far　as　I　remember；　were　Lord　Desborough；　Sir　Herbert　Maxwell；　and　Lords　Milner　and　Curzon　（these　two　by　myself）。　Lord　Curzon；　he　thought；　would　bring　a　great　deal　of　dignity　to　the　office；　but　too　much　of　the　“viceregal　manner。”　Milner’s　name　he　favoured；　but　finally　seemed　to　conclude　that　he　was　in　a　sense　too　strong　a　man；　who　with　his　charming　manner　would　invariably　in　the　end　get　his　own　way；　which　might　not　always　be　the　right　way；　and　carry　the　mission　with　him。　Finally　after　a　pause　I　suggested　Lord　Rosebery。

“Rosebery！”　he　said；　sitting　down　and　thinking。　“Rosebery！　the　very　man！　Politically　detached；　universally　known；　beyond　suspicion；　and　a　maste