expenditure to a definite proportion of that amount, displayed, it seems to
me, amazing temerity. The course of taxation in recent years encourages the
belief that the only thing that restrains the CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER
from taking our little all is that he does not know how much it is.

Capt. WEDGEWOOD BENN'S complaint that the MINISTER OF TRANSPORT habitually
absented himself from the House met with little encouragement from the
SPEAKER, who sarcastically inquired if he should send the SERJEANT-AT-ARMS
to fetch the delinquent. Capt. BENN then dropped the subject, and Sir COLIN
KEPPEL looked relieved.

The Government insisted on taking the Report stage and Third Reading of the
Rent (Restrictions) Bill at one sitting, and kept the House up till
half-past three in order to do it. Dr. ADDISON had need of what the IRON
DUKE called "two o'clock in the morning courage" to ward off attacks. Once,
when Sir ARTHUR FELL was depicting the desperate plight of the landladies
of Yarmouth, forbidden under a penalty of a hundred pounds to charge more
than twenty-five per cent. in excess of their pre-war prices, it looked as
if the Minister must give way; but with some difficulty he convinced his
critics that the clause in question had nothing to do with seaside
landladies.

_Tuesday, June 22nd._--In the Lords the Bishops, reinforced by the
ecclesiastically-minded lay Peers, made a last attempt to throw out the
Matrimonial Causes Bill. Lord BRAYE moved its rejection, and was supported
by Lord HALIFAX in a speech whose pathos was even stronger than its
argument, and by the Archbishop of CANTERBURY, who admitted that reform of
the marriage laws was required, but considered that the Bill went a great
deal further than was necessary. The LORD CHANCELLOR thereupon re-stated
the case for the measure, for which be believed the Government were