Nature, be careless of the individual,
but it is extremely careful of the typewriter, and insists on making a
special charge for this instrument, officially regarded as a bicycle. But
as Sir ERIC GEDDES announced that this extortion, "though legal," was in
his opinion "neither just nor expedient," we may hope that it will shortly
be abandoned. The Ministry of Transport at last seems likely to justify its
existence.

[Illustration: "HOT STUFF."

MR. MILLS OF DARTFORD.]

Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHY was annoyed to find that there has been no
change during the recess in the regulations relating to passports, and that
they are still not issued to Soviet Russia. The tone of the Minister's
reply rather suggested that the Government might be disposed to make an
exception in favour of the hon. and gallant Member.

_Tuesday, April 13th._--After the official announcement that the Slough
depot had been sold, and the chorus of satisfaction in the Press that the
Government had disposed of its white elephant at a profit, Mr. HOGGE was
disappointed to learn that, though the heads of agreement were being
discussed, no contract had yet been signed. He was indeed rather surprised
that the Government should think of parting at all with what the LEADER OF
THE HOUSE had assured them was going to be "a dripping roast for the
taxpayer." Mr. LAW smilingly disclaimed the coinage of this appetising
phrase.

Mr. MILLS, the new Member for Dartford, is credited with being "very hot
stuff" (a cadet, I am told, of the _Moulin Rouge_ family), but he looked
much too trim and spruce for a real revolutionary as he walked up, amid the
plaudits of his Labour colleagues, to take the oath and his seat. In fact
Mr. GREENWOOD, the new Coalition-Unionist Member for Stockport, who
followed him, has much more the air of an _homme du peuple_. As for Mr.
FILDES, his Coalition-Liberal colleague, I don't wonder that Stockport
favoured a candidate whose genial countenance so strongly resembles that of
Mr. Punch.

[Illustration: MR. PUNCH GREETS HIS DOUBLE.

MR. FILDES OF STOCKPORT.]

The debate on the Civil Service Estimates furnished Mr. HOPKINS with an
opportunity of delivering an appeal, doubtless cogent but mainly inaudible,
for the restoration of the exchange value of the pound sterling. Mr. A.M.
SAMUEL, on the other hand, was more audible than orthodox. At least it
rather shocked me to be told that we were getting too much for the pound
before the War.