14 APRIL 1923, Page 2

On Tuesday the-unexpected happened, and the Govern- ment were defeated

by seven votes on a motion "that the Speaker -do -now -leave the chair " for -the House to go into Committee of Supply on the. Civil Service Esti- mates. This was not apparently the result of a well- planned Labour coup, but of a combination of accident and miscalculation on the part of the Government Whips. The Government will, of course, do nothing in particular about it, but the Opposition will feel that they have succeeded in injuring them to a certain degree in the constituencies. TO what extent the new electorate either cares for or understands the importance or unimport- ance of snap divisions is very problematical.