34 Portland Place, W.1.—Is sorry that what he said in the House should have disturbed Montagu in his travels. [He had apparently referred to criticisms of the India Office made by Montagu before he was made Secretary of State.] The reports Montagu received must have conveyed a different impression from the actual words of his speech. He admits that he was surprised that a man of Montagu’s calibre and experience should have criti-cised the India Office and the Indian Government so heavily, and believes that he would not now suggest that the Secretary of State should be more amenable to the Commons, which is a poor judge of Indian affairs. But he guarded himself against the suggestion that Montagu had any idea of becoming Secretary when he made the speech, and points out that it might be as-sumed from his appointment to that post not long afterwards that he had been sent there to give effect to the views he expressed. It was for this reason that the called the speech into question. Emphasises his desire to remain on friendly terms with Montagu and to co-operate with the Government. He has spent six months trying to assuage the situation in Ireland, but the old feuds have broken out again.
State Government House, Melbourne.—Congratulates him on his appointment to the Treasury, and suggests he may be able to restrain the Chancellor [Lloyd George’s] rhetoric. The news from England is unreliable. He has not yet faced any difficult problems, having been mainly engaged in releasing husbands who have been jailed for failing to maintain their wives, and deciding whether to return a visit by the Admiral in person. He likes the country and its inhabitants, and is shortly to make a tour of the country districts. The party that disapproves of imported governors is less strong in his state than others, and its leaders have not been offensive to him. Asks Montagu to write, if possible.
On J. R. M. Butler's Greek poetry.
Programme with Question for Debate with J. R. M. Butler listed, and menu. Verso signed by participants, including U.S. President Taft.
Topics before the Cambridge University Senate include Fitzwilliam Museum extension, mathematics as a subject in the Natural Sciences Tripos, residence of undergraduates, and a variety of other business. With three fly-sheets concerning the parliamentary election of 1926, and one in favour of retention of the University constituencies dated after 1928-1929.
Asks if he will contribute a volume to the Home University Library series.
Printed Gaisford Prize: Greek Theocritean Verse by John Arthur Godley, 1869; Gaisford Prize, Greek Prose 1907, Herodotus at the Zoo by John Davidson Beazley; Prolusiones Academicae, or Exercises which having obtained prizes in the University of Cambridge will be recited in the Senate-House on 11 June 1932, and Sirenarum Carmen Ulixi Cantatum, a Poem which obtained the Montagu Butler Prize 1952 by Anthony Theodore Combridge; _A Latin Epigram which obtained Sir William Browne's Medal 1952 by Anthony John Leslie Lloyd; Samson and Delilah, a Poem which obtained Sir William Browne's Medal for Latin Verse 1952 by Michael Christopher Stokes; and Translation into Greek Verse which obtained The Porson Prize 1952 by William Geoffrey Arnott.
Sidney Sussex. Has taken BD degree and was voted a University Preacher and a judge for Greek and Latin Ode prizes, method of allotting University Preachers, encourages his brother Weeden to attempt prize poems.
Given at the Foreign Office, London, with signature of Sir Edward Grey, Foreign Secretary.
Various stamps in Cyrillic, one will additional cursive Cyrillic filled in by hand, Apr 13.