To begin with, they said in effect that the firm
of Messrs. Harris and Dixon was only one of several which were receiving pre- ferential treatment. Firms doing occasional Government work, we were given to understand, might always expect such favoured treatment. But from Mr. Macpherson's later replies we gather— though there can be no certainty in such a fog of evasion—that no other firm engaged in the same region as Messrs. Harris and Dixon have received similar favours. Why cannot the Govern- ment give the exact facts—the names of the firms, if there are any, which have received preferential treatment ? Why cannot they also publish the text of any telegrams sent by Messrs. Harris and Dixon as the result of preferential treatment ? If that were done the whole controversy would probably be ended at once.
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