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.

* * * * *

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

* * * * *

SICK.

Dear MR. PUNCH,--Excuse this tosh,