In the Commons on Monday Sir William Joynson-Hicks took the
House by surprise by announcing that Sir William Horwood, the Chief Commissioner of the Metro- politan Police, would retire in the autumn and would be succeeded by Lord Byng. It is true that Sir William Horwood had informed the Home Secretary as long ago as last February that he wished to retire in the autumn, when he will be sixty years old, but why did Sir William Joynson-Hicks choose this particular moment for making the announcement ? By acting as he did and by revealing the extraordinary terms upon which he had induced Lord Byng to accept the appointment he seemed to be passing a comment upon the inquiries into police methods. But though the Home Secretary cannot be congratulated on -his tactics he may safely be congratulated upon his choice. If a difficult reorganization of Scotland Yard or of the Metropolitan Police in general has to be carried out, Lord Byng is the leader most likely to command devotion and loyalty. * *
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