The strange case of Lord ROTHERMERE and the Committee on Public Accounts was further investigated. The Committee had reported that a certain stationery contract for the Air Ministry had been extravagant and improper. The AIR MINISTER at the time was the noble Lord who has lately been so eloquent about "squander-mania," but he has since, in a letter to the Press, declared that he never signed or initialled the order. Lieut.-Colonel ARCHER-SHEE and Mr. ORMSBY-GORE sought the opinion of the Treasury on the transaction, and Mr. BALDWIN replied that it was certainly usual for a Minister to be held responsible for his expenditure, and that if subordinate officials were thrown over by their chiefs it would be bad for the Service. The Lords' amendments to the Commons' amendments to the Lords' amendments to the Government of Ireland Bill were agreed to. Sir L. WORTHINGTON-EVANS thought to improve the occasion by a neat little speech expressing goodwill to Ireland, and, much to his surprise, found himself in collision with the SPEAKER, who observed that this was not the time for First Reading speeches. It was rather hard on Lord PEEL, as the grandson of the great Sir ROBERT, to have to sponsor the Dyestuffs Bill. He frankly described it as "a disagreeable pill." Lord EMMOTT and other Peers showed a strong disinclination to take their medicine, but Lord MOULTON said that the chemists--naturally enough--were all in favour of it, and persuaded the House to swallow the bolus. In the course of an eleventh-hour effort to destroy the Agriculture Bill Lord LINCOLNSHIRE described the PRIME MINISTER'S Christmas motto as _Tax Vobiscum_; and the success of his jape served as a partial solace for the defeat of his motion. * * * * * [Illustration: _Old Sea-dog (to nervous passenger)._ "ROLL? SHE _CAN_ ROLL! D'YE SEE THEM MARKS ON THE WALL? THAT'S OUR FEET."] * * * * * A WARNING FROM THE SKY. [The latest form of mascot is a trinket-model of the sign of the zodiac under which one was born.] 'Twas Caution bade me: "Think a while; Calm thought may prove your saviour; You've only seen her gala style And very best behaviour; What though her form's divinely planned And rightly you adore it, Her character's an unknown land, You'd better first explore it." But such exploring baffled me-- She had, to my vexation, No younger brother I could fee For stable information-- Until at last I noted (worn Mid baubles weird and various) A mascot which announced her born Beneath the sign Aquarius. An ancient tome declared how this Implied that, though a beauty, The girl was careless, slack, remiss And negligent of duty; I stilled in time my cardiac stir And ceased my adoration, Thanking my lucky stars and her Explicit constellation. * * * * * AT THE PLAY. "PETER PAN."