Even the most rigid economists will not cavil at the latest addition to our
financial burdens. The PENSIONS MINISTER announced an addition of close on
two millions a year to the annual charge. The increase is chiefly for a
much-needed improvement in the allowances made to disabled officers, who
have hitherto been but scurvily treated.
Mr. HIGHAM objected to receiving an answer about the telephones from Mr.
PIKE PEASE. He demanded a reply from the PRIME MINISTER, not from a
representative of the department impugned. The SPEAKER, however, pointed
out that there were limits to the PREMIER'S responsibilities: "He does not
run the whole show." After this descent into the vernacular I half-expected
that Mr. LOWTHER would dam the stream of Supplementaries that followed
with, "Oh, ring off!" but he contented himself with calling the next
Question.
The debate on the Third Reading of the War Emergency Laws (Continuance)
Bill was chiefly devoted to Ireland. Captain WEDGWOOD BENN, after spending
a whole week in that country, is convinced that all the trouble is due to
the Government's reliance upon D.O.R.A., and declared that the only people
who were not in gaol were the murderers. That would mean that there are
some four million assassins in Ireland; which I feel sure is an
exaggeration.
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