On 'Last week's conferences with Mr Batty, (1) on the position of the Board; (2) on the Financial position'.

Financial arrangements to be made through banks; manuscript addition of these in Scarbrough's hand.

Describing the 'utterly wrong and foolish position' into which both old and prospective Boards have been placed. [This page inserted back to front.]

Comprises: (r) on meeting with Leverhulme at which the Board's composition and finance were discussed (v) notes [perhaps preparatory to this meeting?] on financial arrangements with banks, and for new and retiring directors and employees.

Hopes to meet soon to achieve a 'definite understanding' over the Company's position.

On the latter's 'duty' to wait to meet Leverhulme and report on his actions taken over Company policy during Leverhulme's absence in America.

His actions on Company policy, and the handicaps to his two Committees on selling produce; feels himself unable to offer advice on Company finances.

To discuss: Batty's Committees the date of the Annual meeting, and reasons for delay finance the liquidation of Tin Areas on Batty's advice, and the possible effect of this on the Colonial Bank.

On the need to resume responsibilities 'which we through others had taken', tackle banks, and assess Company's financial commitments: '... time presses. We must stop drifting'. (fols. 401-402) Encloses rough draft of letter to be sent to Leverhulme.

On: shareholders' meeting the African & Eastern deal and the conduct of Batty, as Chairman designate, and of the Lever appointees to the Board the difficulties all this imposes on the old Board, especially Scarbrough and Emmott, who may need to resign at once several solutions suggested. [First draft by Emmott,...

About: (fols. 403-405) latter's reactions to the letter he urges early publication of the 1919 good balance sheet, and a shareholders' meeting in Jan his claim to be 'an ordinary shareholder' challenged by Scarbrough and Emmott: 'he had exercised authority as Controller & we objected to control without responsibility' explanation of Batty's public...

Also about: general difficulty of these arrangements seen as due to 'wild talk' of produce market, and bankers slightly reassured by seeing week's improved market Report suggestion that the Company reduce the overdraft by £250,000 in the meantime Leverhulme feels that, as nominal Directors, Knowles and Findlay are not being recognised by Niger Board as he wishes, 'as...

Also enclosing: (fols. 176-177) unsigned copy of Company letter (fols. 178-180) annexures about De Bruyn's financial situation sent to Leverhulme.

About: arrangements with De Bruyn Ltd., and Lever Bros.'s intention to nominate C.C. Knowles and W.K. Findlay to the Niger Board his plan for 'introducing abundant and well-secured public capital' into the Company his departure to South Africa. (fols. 181-183) Telegram, endorsed with a note by Lady Scarbrough.

Also: criticises Trigge's failures both to check expenditure and to borrow elsewhere on hypothecation, in order to honour the Company's undertaking on the overdraft his behaviour seen as 'the old story of 'volume at all costs''.

Rejects the Company's scheme for raising 'new preference capital'; is to send 'Sir Robert's Division letter'.