7 MAY 1927, Page 3

In the House of Commons on Monday, Colonel Howard-Bury received

no encouragement when he questioned the Prime Minister about the late Sir Hugh Lane's pictures. Owing to a flaw in Sir Hugh Lane's will the pictures are in the possession of this country, though there is complete evidence that Sir Hugh wished them to go to the Free State. Mr. Baldwin repeated what he had said before, that it would be improper to modify the will. That natural objection, however, would not arise if the authorities of the National Gallery lent the pictures indefinitely to the Free State, and we hope that this will be done. * *