16 APRIL 1942, Page 4

Having commented some months ago on the amount of time

expended collectively by persons who assemble in large numbers to listen to miscellaneous oratory at public luncheons, I am glad to see that the Government is officially deprecating the practice. If 600 people devote 21 hours—a moderate estimate—to the process of getting there, coping with a more substantial and more expensive meal than they would be likely to have otherwise, and getting back to their office again, the aggregate loss in output each time is considerable. When many of those present are high Government officials, attending out of respect to some distinguished guest, thing is really serious. There is no time for such diversio these days.