ERFIELD UP TO DATE.

_Mr. Clynes._ "LOOK HERE--IF THE PRICE OF ALE KEEPS ON GOING UP LIKE THIS
I'LL HAVE TO SPEAK TO AUSTEN CHAMBERLAIN ABOUT IT."]

Mr. CLYNES, usually so cautious, was in a reckless mood. First he tried to
move the adjournment over the GOLOVIN revelations, and was informed by the
SPEAKER that a report of doubtful authenticity, relating to events that
happened over a year ago, could hardly be described as either "urgent" or
"definite."

Next, on the Finance Bill, he shocked his temperance colleagues by boldly
demanding cheaper beer. But, although he received the powerful support of
Admiral Sir R. HALL, he failed to soften the heart of the CHANCELLOR, who
declared that he must have his increased revenue, and that the beer-drinker
must pay his share of it.

Mr. CHAMBERLAIN turned a more sympathetic ear to the bark of another
sea-dog, Admiral ADAIR, who sought a reduction of the tax on champagne, and
mentioned the horrifying fact that even City Companies were abandoning its
consumption. He received the unexpected support of Lieutenant-Commander
KENWORTHY, who declared that Yorkshire miners always had a bottle after
their day's work and denounced an impost that would rob a poor man of his
"boy." Eventually the CHANCELLOR agreed to reduce the new _ad valorem_ duty
by a third. He might have made the same reduction in the case of cigars but
for the declaration of a Labour Member that this was becoming "a rich man's
Budget from top to bottom."

_Wednesday, July 7th._--Never was Lord Haldane's power of clear thinking
employed to better advantage than in his lucid exposition of the Duplicands
and Feu-duties (Scotland) Bill. I would not like to assert positively that
all the Peers present fully grasped the momentous fact that a duplicand was
a "casualty" and might be sometimes twice the feu-duty and sometimes three
times that amount; but they understood enough to agree that it was a very
fearful wild-fowl and ought to be restrained by law.

After this piquant _hors-d'oeuvre_ they settled down to a solid joint of
national finance, laid before them by Lord MIDLETON. I am afraid they would
have found it rather indigestible but for the sauce provided by Lord
INCHCAPE, who was positively skittish in his comments upon the extravagance
of the Government, and on one occasion even indulged in a pun. In his view
the Ministry of Transport was an entirely superfluous creation, solely
arising out of the supposed necessity