COMMONWEALTH

Parliament's Week

The Cabinet. Premier Theunis of Belgium accompanied by his Foreign Minister, Paul Hymans, was received at Chequers Court by Premier MacDonald. The conversations which followed were said to be of great importance to the European situation.

P: Sir Thomas B. Hohler, British Minister to Hungary, was appointed to proceed upon a special mission to Mexico to report on the political situation. This is a possible forerunner of British recognition.

P: The Cabinet was understood to have approved the building of an aerial dreadnaught, bigger and better than any hitherto produced.

House of Commons. The House reassembled after the Easter vacation.

P:Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Snowden introduced the budget (see under).

P:The P.R. Bill (proportional representation), pet project of the Liberals, was killed by an adverse vote of 238 to 144. Liberals fretted and fumed, threatened to turn Labor out of office, but that latter Party turned not a hair. The Duchess of Athol supported Labor and acted with a Laborite as teller in the division lobby.

P: Lady Astor, Conservative, had a tiff with Tom Johnson, burly Laborite. Said her ladyship: "The honorable members opposite are always getting after me because I refuse to join the Socialist party."

Retorted Tom: "The noble lady will be well advised to stay outside the Socialist party until she understands what Socialism means." P: During a debate on proposed increase in the British and U.S. Navies John Harris, Liberal, asked the Government: "Will the British Government approach the United States Government concerning the possibility of another naval conference with the object of preventing a new race in the construction of this [cruisers] powerful type of warship?"

The Premier replied: "I would refer to the speech delivered by President Coolidge on April 22 in which he was reported to have stated that it appeared impracticable, under the present conditions, to attempt any further limitations of armaments."

Interjected Commander Kenworthy, Liberal: "Are we to understand that the matter is there to remain and that we can take no steps to make it possible to hold this conference?"

Replied the Premier: "The attitude we have always taken, and with which I am glad to find that Mr. Coolidge is in agreement, is that before discussing the limitation of armaments you must first of all remove some of the difficulties in the political situation."

P:George Buchanan, Clydesdale Laborite, was expected to introduce a bill demanding home rule for Scotland. It was stated that the bill "provides for a single Chamber of 148 members while executive power is vested in the King, who will be advised in matters pertaining to Scotland by a committee to be named by the Scottish Parliament."