In the House of Commons on Wednesday the Queen's Garden
Party gave rise to an absurd little scene. The Agricultural Holdings Bill was under discussion, but when Mr. Fletcher Moulton's turn came to propose an amendment standing in his name, he, instead, moved the adjournment of the debate. This shocked Mr. Dillon greatly, partly because the adjournment was moved by a priVate Member, and partly because its object was the attendance of Members at a garden party. –Mr. Balfour in reply very pertinently suggested that Mr. :Dillon was not always so anxious that the time of the House should not be wasted. Much more straightforward and much more genuine than Mr. Dillon's cavilling were the blunt declarations of the two Labour Members, Mr. John Wilson and Mr. Maddison, the latter of whom declared that "the discussion of any one of the clauses of the Bill was worth all the Royal garden parties and all the Royalties as well." After he had withdrawn the last clause of his protest, Mr. Maddison went on to represent the adjournment 813 unfair to the working classes of the country. That is a well- sounding convention, but we do not imagine that working men will ever be greatly shocked at the idea of "knocking off" for what is, after all, only a glorified beanfeast. They are far too human for any such pedantry. No reasonable man will feel angry with Mr. Maddison's protest ; it is a free country, and one may be as " bearish " as one likes, but the whole incident savours too much of the nursery. One longs to see a huge Britannia in a nurse's cap and apron come in, do a good deal of smacking all round, and then explain that it is the heat and the excitement that have made the children so naughty and rude. She would probably add : It was that Master Dillon, though he does seem so quiet, that set them all off.
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