Mr Balfour's Day.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXXXVII, Issue 11756, 6 October 1902, Page 7

Mr Balfour's Day.

HOW HE SPENDS HIS TIME

A flood of light is thrown, upoh Mr Balfoair's shortcomings as Leader of the House of Commons by the evidently inspired revelations which appeared in a recent number of "The King." "Mr Balfour sleeps at least twelve hours o. day—-sometimes longer," we are told. "And though he does not prepare his speeches word for word, like Sir William Harcoutt. or dictate ihem to a shorthand writer, like, Disraeli, he 'thinks them out whilo in bed.'" Assuming that the Prims Minister does not ""think out" Ms speeches in Ins sleeip,, and that lie devotes an hour a. day to this unnecessary duty, eleven hours are left for activity." . .

"He is-very fond of going up.Bond Steeet and looking in the shop windows." An average of half an hour would perhaps suffice for this. But the. House seldom sits for fewer than ten hours,, including the dinner interval, and Mr Balfour is always on the Treasury Bench or in its immediate neighbom hood. The Firs* Lord of the Treasury would scarcely be able t<a avoid putting in a brief period at his office, and there are such things as Cabinet Council? and Privy Councils to attend. Even the most abstemious man must dine, and if Mr Balfour takes the usual number of meals, two hours v day would not be an excessive estimate for the obligations of the table We have already accounted for at- least twenty-seven out of tho twenty-four, so tho Prime Minister must have a doub'te, whp is just now conducting the Committee stage of the Education Bill.