In the House.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13828, 13 February 1909, Page 1 (Supplement)

In the House.

THE STIi.WeJKJIS' U.U.LEKY. There are sjine rather startling proposals in ihe report ui i lie Select Committee of tlu .11./ ii-;• t,i v.oniiiioiis which has been sitting,, lu cuiio-nler the question of tlu- uduii.vioi) 01 .-Irangers to the galleries, wit-i a vi-\v to ilie improvement of the ivg> iatioiis. It is impossible, i.s me opinion of the Committee, u> o:\is- rules which an ingenious ii.an or Human, bent on disorder; cannoi succeed in evading; but it is possible to make regulations which would act as precautions and deterrents. The first recommendation is that all visitors, men and women, should sign an undertaking to abstain from making any interruption or disturbance, and to obey tho rules for tho maintenance of order in tho galleries.

The-second, and most that an Act of Parliament*should b'v passed as soon as possible making auy serious disturbance in the galleries while the House is sitting a criminal offence, the tribunal haviug power to imprison without the option of a fine, and conviction carrying with it exclusion from the House for the remainder of Parliament. Pending the passage of this Act the galleries should remain closed. The machinery as to the orders applied for during tho sitting of the House would, under the new system, be completely altered. The visitor would no longer be compelled to son a in a card to his Member and await his appearance before securing admission. Instead it is proposed that the visitor should apply at an "Admission Order Office," to be set up near the Central Lobby,- give, the -name of his Member, and if-there were room m the gallery an order would be issued automatically. . ,; There is one, revolutionary suggestion affecting the admission of ladies. \\e think "'sav the committee, that it would be desirable for men and women alike to be admissible to the Members , Gallery It is the common experience of Memebrs that a man and his wife or daughter constantly apply admission at the same time. The man gets a place in the gallery, the lad} has to be taken to the Ladies' Gallery and brought back again. . - Vc believe that the admission vi both sexes together would be a convenience to the public, and would be favourable to order and its maintenance. Before bein- adopted it would be right to obtain the consent of the House to the L 'Admission to the Ladies] Gallery would be bv ballot. Each ticket bearin- on it the declaration as to orderly behavious, would be signed by the member, and would bear the name and address of the lady, who would a so have to si-ni her name, authenticated by her address, in a book which would contain at the head of each page the necessary declaration. "During the sittings of the House we think that at present ladies should only be admitted to the Ladies' Gallery when accompanied by a Member" is the significant .comment on the present situation.A passage in the report suggests that in view of the large number of ladies who come to the House m summer and crowd the inner lobbies and corridors. Members should oUam orders to view." and "no Member should take more than six ladies at a time No order should be necessary for the terrace or dining-rooms. THE MOTOR BUS.