第83部分(第1/7 頁)

The　general　impression　left　upon　my　mind　is　that　Mr。　Lloyd　George　means　to　put　this　business　through　if　he　can；　but　owing　to　the　great　forces；　secret　and　open；　ranged　against　him　and　it；　that　he　is　not　quite　certain　of　his　ability　to　do　so。

On　Christmas　Day；　1909；　I　received　a　letter　from　Lord　Ashby　St。　Ledgers；　my　Chairman；　in　which　he　said：

I　had　a　conversation　yesterday　with　Lloyd　George；　and　he　intimated　that　he　intended　to　offer　you　a　post　as　missioner　under　the　Development　Board。

I　told　him　it　was　slave…driving　not　to　offer　you　a　salary　with　it；　but　he　said　that　his　limit　of　3000　pounds　per　annum　had　not　enabled　him　yet　to　secure　a　permanent　official；　and　that　it　would　involve　an　amendment　of　the　Act　to　provide　anything　for　anyone　else。

He　spoke　of　Dick　Cavendish　for　Chairman；　and　Horace　Plunkett　and　an　Irishman　for　the　other　two。

Then　he　goes　on　to　talk　of　Afforestation　in　connection　with　the　proposed　Board。

I　should　explain　here　that　although　if　a　salary　had　e　my　way　I　should　not　have　refused　it；　considering　the　time　and　work　involved；　money　was　not　my　object　in　wishing　to　serve　on　this　Board。　That；　as　I　subsequently　informed　Mr。　Lloyd　George；　I　should　have　been　glad　to　do　for　nothing　as　a　piece　of　public　duty。

Afterwards；　by　his　direction；　an　interview　took　place　at　the　Ritz　Hotel　between　Lord　Ashby　St。　Ledgers；　on　behalf　of　the　Government；　Lord　Richard　Cavendish；　and　myself；　at　which　we　discussed　the　whole　policy　of　the　future　administration　of　the　Act。

It　might　now　have　been　thought　that　this　matter　was　settled；　but　again　there　proved　to　be　many　a　slip；　etc。

In　order　to　put　an　end　to　the　attacks　Lloyd　George　went　to　Mr。　Walter　Long；　who　was　leading　the　Opposition　on　the　Unionist　side；　offering