cultural workers the prosperity of the agricultural
industry as a whole must be ensured; and he hoped that the policy of
State-aid would not stop there. No wonder the hard-shell Free Traders
looked glum.

Sir HEDWORTH MEUX must be careful or he will jeopardize his reputation as a
humourist. Mr. PARTINGTON having asked whether the Government would put
down their racehorses, the gallant Admiral could think of no better jest
than that the proposal was as futile as that of the hon. Member's namesake,
who endeavoured to keep out the Atlantic with a mop. Shortly afterwards Mr.
YEO asked whether the Government would consider the destruction of cats,
with a view, perhaps, to the suppression of MEUX.

The Corn Production Bill had to run the gauntlet of a good many criticisms
during the second day's debate. The unkindest cut of all was delivered by
the SPEAKER. Mr. MOLTENO had asked whether Members who were landowners or
farmers might vote on a measure affecting their financial interests, and
Mr. LOWTHER replied that the benefits were "so problematical and so
uncertain" that he thought they might. Mr. MOLTENO used his freedom to vote
against the Second Reading; but only a handful of Members followed his
example. Mr. RUNCIMAN and his friends decided that abstention was the
better part of valour.

_Thursday, April 26th._--Major BAIRD made a modest and candid defence of
the Air Board against its many critics. He did not pretend that they were
yet satisfied--in the case of so new a service there could be no finality--
but he claimed that the departments had worked much more harmoniously since
they were all housed under the hospitable roof of the Hotel Cecil, a
statement which Lord HUGH of that ilk subsequently endorsed. Major BAIRD,
despite the general mildness of his voice and demeanour, can deliver a good
hard knock on occasion. He warned the House against indulging in a certain
class of criticism, on the ground that there was no surer way of killing an
airman than to destroy his confidence in the machine he was flying; and he
asserted that the "mastery of the air" was a meaningless phrase impossible
of realization. I think Mr. PEMBERTON-HICKS and Mr. JOYNSON-BILLING took
the rebuke to heart, for they were much less aggressive than usual.

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[Illustration: "BE A GOOD BOY AND STOP YOUR 'OLLERIN, AND I'LL LET YER SEE
THE OLD GENT FALL ORF THE BUS."]

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