i » 357 President, during liis tenure of wliicli his only preoccupation has been to increase the usrfuhiess of the institution and direct its working so as to promote to the fullest extent fH*ssible the welfare of the countiT.

Though, as I have pointed out, good work has been done by the Council during the pasi year, further progress has yet to be made before it can be said to render the full utility of which it should be capable, and recent proceedings have shown that the members oGcasionaliy fail to take a broad view of the ma,tters under discussion, and to discriminate between what is important and what is a matter of detail. They also dud a, difficulty in shaking themselves ffiee fivm false ideas put into dieir lieads by rh"Se who are permanently hostile to the existing rtgime, and in looking at the business laid before them vrith an open mind. One instance, of these shortcomings is the constant opposition to grants for the development of the Soudan. The Council seems unable to appreciate what -a small puice Egypt is paying for the entire control of the waters of the Upper Nile, which are A'ital to her j>rosp>erity, or to understand that the only way of ultimately relieving the budget of the aunuad grant-in-aid lor the Soudan is by ui'jilying funds for the material development which will enable that coimtrv to become seit-suj)pK>rting. Again, when the Government recently informed the Council of their ivadmess to answer questions on administrative matters—a privilege not included among the rights accorded by the Organic Law, and the value of w-bicli is obviou.s to all acquainted with the history of representative assemblies—the discussion which ensued turned jiiiijosfe entirely upon the question as to whether this pnivilege was to be viewed as a favom: granted by the Government or a right ab-eady possessed by the Council, and no appreciation was shown of the practical advantages to be derived from the concession which the Ministers had voluntarily proffered. Quite recently, when the Budget for the current year was under debate, the priucipal speakers contented themselves with repeating all the foolish and unfounded criticisms of the financial administration with which the hostile Nationalist press is constantly filled, without any attempt to veiif\' the so-called facts upon which these criticisms are based. A very cursory examination of the reports and returns issued by the Finance Department woidd have shown the Council how entirely without foundation these allegations were. Before die discussion on the Budget for next year takes place, I venture to recommend those members who desire to acquire a thorough understanding of Egyptian finance to make earefid study of the Statistical Year Booh of Egypt for 1909, recently issued b}» die Ministry of Finance. This work, which has been produced under the direction of M. Eandoiie, the Director of the Statistical Department, gives a most comprehensive ami well-arranged mass of information, compiled from the returns of former years, and the results will come as a considerable surprise to those who have been accustomed to animadvert in no friendly spirit on the financial administration of the past.

These errors should not, however, be regarded too seriously, and are natural enough in a body that is as yet inexperienced in public aftairs. The weak points of the. institution at present are that the majority of the members are easily led astray by the mure turbulent spirits, and that the chief preoccupation of all of them is to avoid being abused in the native press for want of patriotism, which is the invariable result of any support, however mild or platonic, given to the proposals of the Government. With rime and patience it may be hoped that the members will free themselves from these faults, and will gradually become able to form an independent judgment on the matters brought before them, without being over-awed by the loquaciousness of some of their colleagues, or led astray b}’ Nationalist calumnies. The Government have gone as far as is possible in the direction of giving every facility to the Legislative Council to utilize the powers which they now possess, a.ud no extension of functions is desirable until the proceedings of tlie Council show that such a course can he adopted without danger to the well-being of the community. In this respect I can only repeat what I s.iid in last year's report, viz., that “ the future development of the institution must di'pend upon the wisdom and discretion displayed by tlie members themselves.”

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