14 MAY 1948, Page 5

Both Hcuses of Parliament fortunately have their lighter moments. In

the House of Lords on Tuesday Viscount Simon, referring to a clatise in the British Nationality Bill referring to " every person born in the United Kingdom and the Colonies," observed that " that appeared to be a rapid peregrination unusual for a lady about to produce a child." In the Commons on Wednesday, after the Parlia- mentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food had been searchingly cross-examined on the condition of certain classes of mutton reach- ing these shores, the Hon. Member for Holland-with-Boston rose to put a supplementary. The peals of laughter which greeted his intervention must have mystified visitors in the galleries, who could hardly know that the name of the Member in question is Butcher.