29 APRIL 1949, Page 5

Since Tuesday there has been considerable talk about measures for

dealing with prolixity in the House of Commons. Since Tuesday, because in the debate on War Pensions on that day, Mr. Roderick Bowen spoke for 76 minutes ; Mr. C. J. Simmons for 5o minutes ; Commander Pursey for 62 minutes ; Sir Ian Fraser for 6o minutes. It is true that some of the speeches were lengthened by far too many interruptions, but the fact remains that out of a debate limited to under six hours more than four hours were consumed by four speeches. The many members with something worth saying who were robbed of the opportunity of saying it hold strong views about