SKINFLINT'S CITY DIARY

The Government now seems disinclined to allow the export of Titian's Death of Actaeon and is offering substantial help to the National Gallery in its efforts to raise the cash.

If only the Government had made up its mind before the picture was offered for sale by auction the price realized would have been less than the scandalously high Price the picture fetched during the few moments of frantic cross-bidding in the sale room conducted between faceless dealers.

It is generally known in art circles that there are about 24 pictures in private hands which, all the experts agree, should under no circumstances be allowed to go abroad. Why should not this list be published, together with a statement from the Government that the export of any picture O n it would not be allowed? All other Works of art could then fall to the highest bidder, and complicated problems about export licenses need not arise.

Unhappy day

" All girls are, indispensible," cries the latest advertisement of the Alfred Marks employment agency to adorn London Transport trains. I think I would make an exception of girls — not to mention admen — who can't spell indispensable.' And I have another warning to all emPloyment agencies. Clive Jenkins, the Welsh wizard of the white-collar workers, is, like this columnist, out to get you. The union leader is building up a very large file indeed, thank you, on the activities of all Private employment agencies — and, what IS more he is now biding his time until he is ready to promote a Parliamentary Bill banning them altogether.

Automatic voting machines

Lord Strabolgi was the patron of a demonstration laid on during the Conservativt party conference at Brighton by the AVM Corporation of Jamestown, New York, makers of automatic voting Machines.

ihn automatic voting system has been Working in the United States since the beginning of the century. Holland introduced voting machines in 1966 and France has now amended her electoral laws for the adoption of automatic voting. The Machines are said to simplify electoral Procedure, particularly when referenda are Part of the balloting process.

Mr Francis Pym, the Government Chief Whip, and the Conservatives, would be Mad to adopt them. They are too like one-armed bandits and might, I think, bring out a large vote from gambling. crazed left-wingers. One particular objection Is the button marked ' Abstention ' which dispenses with the opportunity that many of us like to have to append an appropriate remark or two. Oddly enough, I hear that on the occasion of a recount these ballot forms are discussed by the candidates and the Returning Officer, and not necessarily treated as ' spoilt '.

Kosher rashers

Samuel Montagu and Co's offer for sale of Pork Farms Limited, makers of meat products, pork pies, sausages and cooked meats, is a fine secular deal, in keeping with these progressive times, though the orthodox first Lord Swaythling might be sighing if he were still around.

Road improvements

Travelling by car on Sunday recently made me wish that Mr John Peyton, the Minister of Transport, would import the German law which forbids lorries being about on Sundays.

Minor road improvements were taking place here and there, by-passing villages and straightening bends. It might be as well if there was some statutory obligation on both local authorities and the Ministry of Transport to plough up and return to neighbouring landowners surplus sections of the old road, instead of finding excuses to use these old sections as lay-bys and RDC sand dumps.

Sir Harry, statistician

Sir Harry Legge-Bourke, Chairman of the backbenchers' 1922 Committee, has written to the Prime Minister reporting the result of a postal referendum on the Common Market in his constituency of the Isle of Ely.

It is not reported how Sir Harry conducted the referendum, but apparently 1,202 votes were cast, of which 737 were against entry into Europe, and 379 in favour. There were 104 spoiled papers, Sir Harry said that he had repeatedly told his constituents that he would take " No vote," as indicating that (a) the individual elector was prepared to accept Sir Harry's judgement: or (b) was in favour of Britain's entry: or (c) found the matter of no personal concern.

Sir Harry's letter to the Prime Minister reports that he is well pleased with this poll and intends voting on the 28th for Britain's entry since the electorate on the Isle of Ely number 67,000, and the small poll clearly indicates that only a very small proportion of his electorate is opposed to entry since so few cast votes.

Sir Harry might now conduct a poll in the Isle of Ely restricted to those who haven't stopped beating their wives on the political advantages of inertia selling.

BSC again

The latest management reshuffle at the ailing British Steel Corporation has just about doubled the number of top level ap pointments. So that nobody need be fired, a distinction has been made between ' policy ' and 'operations.' Ron Smith, for example, who has been in charge of labour relations, is being superseded by Kenneth Robinson, but retains his seat on the Board and his salary of £17,500 per annum. He is now to be responsible only for 'policy.' So too is Lord Layton, the equally dismal commercial director, who is superseded by BSC's closest approximation to a whiz-kid, David Waterstone (late of the IRC). Can any better way be found of losing your job and keeping your salary? 250,000 steel workers who are due to be run down by over one third over the next five years ought to take heart from these changes. At least some of those declared redundant ought to qualify for membership of the BSC Board, or find some other way of continuing to draw their wages.

The only BSC official who is taking on more work is Deputy Chairman 'Monty' Finniston who, as recently forecast in The Spectator, now assumes the Chief Executive half of Chairman Melchett's duties. But there is to be no reduction in Melchett's salary of E25,000 a year or in the number of BSC aircraft at his disposal.