We congratulate the Unionist Business Committee, of which Mr. Hewins
is Chairman, on the resolution passed on Tuesday. The Committee suggest that, with a view to lessening the time and labour spent during the war by Departmental officials in preparing replies to questions, particularly with regard to minute administrative details, Members should refrain from putting questions unless they are of importance and general interest, and in no case should put more than two questions on any one day. The Committee do well to remind us of the amount of work imposed on hard-worked officials, but the evil goes deeper than this. Question time is a most valuable institution, since questioning is criticism in brief. But national economy means self-restraint as well as thrift, and Members ought to economize in inquisitive- ness as in petrol, wine, &c. We welcome, therefore, this evidence of a desire inside the House to restrict the abuse of a useful privilege. In war time we may well say with Byron : " Curious fool, be still." In the earlier part of the Session Mr. Ginnell, M.P., easily heads the list with five hundred and twenty-seven questions.
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