Thursday.—Major John Augustus Hope, late of the King's Royal Rifle Corps, nearly had his breath taken away at Question time. Close student of methods of Worthington Evans, Mrs. Gummidge of Parliamentary life, not yet recovered from depression as he sits below Gangway "thinking of the old 'un" (Masterman). The Major has of late displayed much industry in devising abstruse conundrums designed to bring to light dark places in working of Insurance Act. In Masterman's enforced and regretted absence, duty of replying to this class of Question on behalf of Minister undertaken by Wedgwood Benn, whose sprightly though always courteous replies greatly amuse both sides.
To-day the Major fired off, as it wore from a mitrailleuse, volley of minute questions involving prolonged research on part of Minister to whom they were addressed. Before the smoke had quite cleared away Benn rose, remarked, "I assure the honourable and gallant gentleman he is totally incorrect," and resumed his seat.
The Major gasped. After devotion of precious time to looking up material for his conundrums, after skill and labour bestowed in shaping them, was this the result? Every hair on his head bristled with indignation. His voice choked with anger. His eye, accustomed to survey other battlefields, gleamed on the laughing faces that confronted him. Unseemly merriment increased as he attempted to put Supplementary Questions, which got unaccountably mixed up between Section 72 of the National Insurance Act, 1911, and the provision of Insurance Regulations (No. 2) (Scotland).
If the Major survives shock more will be heard of this.
Business done.—In Committee on Army Estimates.
A BOOK OF THE DAY.
The Life-Story of a Turnip. By Ato Mato, F.R.V.S. Illustrated in colour. Messrs. Tuber, Root and Co. Price 3s. net.
(Reviewed by A. D. Ryan, M.A.)
There have been autobiographical studies of the animal world; why not of the vegetable? This is a delightful monograph, executed with consummate skill and verisimilitude throughout. The author, who holds the Professorship of Cereal Metaphysics at the University of Tokio, has devoted the greater part of his life to the study of the vegetable kingdom; and we need hardly remind our readers of the exceedingly interesting treatise, entitled "The Psychology of the Cabbage," which appeared in a recent issue of the Carnifugal Quarterly.