21 JUNE 1968, Page 2

PORTRAIT OF THE WEEK

The House of Lords, defying the lightning, voted a Government measure down. By 193 to 184 they threw out the Order in Council to enforce the sanctions against Rho- desia enjoined by the United Nations. This symbolic defiance was enough to bring threats of a constitutional crisis, and of an end to inter-party discussion on reform of the House of ' Lords. Mr Ian Smith called—to the displeasure of his party—for the urgent resumption of negotiations with Britain.

Mr Smith's supporters, and other British citizens who cross the Government, will have access to a review committee headed by Mr Justice Cairns if they are deprived of their passports. But Mr George Thomson, announc- ing this to the Commons, said that the ultimate decision would still rest, not with the• com- mittee, but with the Government. Two new Members of the House took their seats: the Conservative conqueror of Oldham West and the Labour defender of Sheffield Brightside.

British exports fell by £8 million in May, and imports were fl million higher. With hope thus further deferred, sterling and govern- ment stocks were sold. Industrial unrest threatened to make June's results look no better. Mrs Lil O'Callaghan and 186 other militant sempstresses of Ford seat covers shut Dagenham down: their opposite numbers at Halewood, Ford's other plant, came out in sym-

pathy; two—the NUR and ASLEF—of the three railway unions were threatening to ban over- time and work to rule; and BOAC cancelled many of its flights as the pilots' dispute gresn more bitter. In 'France and Canada general election campaigns were under way : so, too, was the United States presidential election, but with little to show for it. Former President Eisen- hower went to hospital in Washington with a heart attack. In the National Heart Hospital, London, Mr Frederick West died, forty-seven days after another man's heart was transplanted into him. Dr Mowbray, the hospital's immunol- ogist, commented that 'this sort of thing 15 almost an accident and it is not the sort of thing that is going to kill transplant patients.' With the arrival in London of Sir Robert Menzies, the Test match at Lord's could begin. At Ascot gentlemen were admitted to the Royal Enclosure in ordinary suits. A young lady, arriving in trousers, was refused entry; she changed into a hip-length lace shift, but had to submit to seeing her picture in all the papers; so at least one tradition was main- tained. Golden Mean won the Royal Hunt Cup• Dr Billy Graham announced that the world would end within five years, adding that everY. one knew it. Making good use of such time as they had left, the educational authorities of Lancashire and Cheshire doubled their rates of pay for artists' nude models.