Political Notes Our Parliamentary Correspondent writes : The problem of
absentees from divisions in the House of Commons gets less attention than it deserves. It is bad enough for Members to vote on questions they have not heard discussed ; it is rather worse not to trouble to vote at all. Since October 26th, 1937, when the new session commenced, the House of Com- mons has divided on 76 occasions. The individual scores are now published in the Parliamentary Gazette. Apart from the Party Whips, the nature of whose employment compels them to be constantly on the premises, the honours are divided between Colonel Mayhew (Conservative) and Mr. Tinker (Labour), neither of whom has as yet missed one division. Mr. C.huter Ede is hard on their heels, having notched 75. He is the recognised title-holder, having at least once gone through a whole session without a single absence. Hard on his heels comes Admiral Sir Percy Royds with a total of 73, but he is a newcomer and his staying power has still to be tested.
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