It is good news that although the farm labourers' unions

refused to take part in the proposed Agricultural Conference, there is a likelihood that Mr. Wood's alter- native to the Conference will be accepted. This alternative is for the Ministry to seek the advice of all parties in the agricultural industry. It is true that this is a clumsier method than bringing all the parties together in a Con- ference. Yet, there is no doubt that the organizations of the landowners, the farmers and the labourers could all give valuable criticisms and suggestions, and in the long run the results might be equivalent to those which were expected from the Conference.

* * * * • The result of the Walsall by-election was declared on Friday, February 27th. Mr. Preston, the Unionist candidate, was disqualified, it will be remembered, after the General Election because he held two small Govern- ment contracts. The result was as follows :—

Mr. W. Preston (U.)

• •

14,793 Dr. T. J. Macnamara (L.)

• •

12,300 Captain Lothian Small (Lab.)

•

0-

• •

• •

11,610 Majority ..

The result at the General Election last October was :— Mr. W. Preston (U.) ...

- . • • .. 15,168 Mr. P. Collins (L.) ..

..

• • .. 12,734 Captain Small (Lab.) • • • • • • .. 11,474 Mr. J. J. Lynch (Ind.) ..

622 Unionist majority

..

.. 2,434

Evidently Walsall has not changed its mind perceptibly since last November. Political observers have been hard put to it to find a scrap of significance in this result. The one point of possible interest is that the Liberals put up Dr. Macnamara, one of their strongest candidates, but failed to retrieve their fortunes. They polled 434 votes less than last time.

• •

2,493