not at all sure that it
is Parliamentary.

Long debate on Budget Bill; HARCOURT discourses at large on JOKIM's
finance. JOKIM sits listening with amused air. Life is on the whole to
him a serious thing. But there is one episode that suffuses it with a
gleam of humour; that is to hear HARCOURT talking Finance. "One of the
very few things," JOKIM says, "of which he knows absolutely nothing."
Now J.A. PICTON, on the contrary, thinks a good deal of HARCOURT's
aptitude for finance, and when JOKIM had girded at him for the space
of half an hour, the SQUIRE OF MILWOOD had the satisfaction of hearing
JULIUS 'ANNIBAL PICTON publicly describe his criticism as "a most
formidable attack on the financial scheme of the Chancellor of the
Exchequer."

_Business done._--House agrees to make holiday on the Derby Day.

_Thursday._--OLD MORALITY back to-night; everyone glad to see him;
with trumpets also and shawms would we have greeted him, but SPEAKER
ruled proposed demonstration out of order; so only cheered. With
exception of slight Italian accent (particularly noticeable in his
pronunciation of the word "Newfoundland") he's just the same. Before
sitting far advanced, wished he had lingered for another twenty-four
hours on the waters of the tideless sea.

Newfoundland Fishery Question on; the delegates to be heard at Bar.
Members, eager as school-boys for new sensation, crowded the Benches,
in expectation of half an hour's amusement. OLD MORALITY, fresh from
Cabinet Council, knew that hope would be disappointed. Government had
decided to accept compromise proffered by Newfoundland Legislature;
consequently Sir WILLIAM VALLANCE WHITEWAY, K.C.M.G., would not appear
at the Bar.

It is Old MORALITY's little way to put on appearance, in whatever
startling development of affairs, as if what was happening was exactly
what had been expected. To-night, at end of questions, he quite
casually mentions settlement arrived at, and proposes that without
debate Second Reading of Newfoundland Fisheries Bill shall be taken.
"A mere form, you know," he said, nodding in friendly fashion across
the table at HARCOURT. "Everything is amicably settled; we certainly
won't mention Bill again for three weeks, and then only to withdraw
it. Let us read it now a second time just for the fun of the thing."

[Illustration: Gone Over to the Majority.]

Crowded House sat for a moment in gloomy disappointment, irresponsive
to the cheerful presence of Old MORALI