WHERE THE DUMA MEETS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXVIX, Issue 8139, 14 May 1906, Page 3

WHERE THE DUMA MEETS.

Renter's correspondent in St Petersburg gives an interesting account of the great chamber of the Tauride Palace, where the National Duma of Russia will hold jits sittings. The Tauride Palace was built in 1783, and was. presented by the Empress Catherine 11. to Prince Potemkin, the "hero of the Taurus," nfter the conquest of the Crimea. After Priuce Potemkin's death in 1794 the PALACE BECAME Grown property, and has since been used as a place for exhibitions. The parliamentary ohamber is about twice as large as the hall in which the British House of Commons meets. The whole apartment is decorated in white, adorned with frescoes from Potemkin's time, while behind the President's seat, and facing the Deputies, is a large bow window, looking out into the garden. The Deputies seats and are arranged m AMPHITHEATRIOAL FASHION around the hall, tier on tier, as in a theatre. The tribune from which members will address the House occupies the central position, and has on either side of it two seats for the secretaries of the Duma. Behind the tribune are the President's ohair, places for

THE MINISTERS and their assistants, and for the Press. Further to the back again is a space which will be reserved for taking the divisions, and iu which are two large urns for the -votes. The Cabinet Ministers will face the Deputies. The seats and desks are strongly made of white oak, and are admirably disposed, with

GOOD GANGWAYS, whioh will admit of Deputies passing one another easier when going to or leaving their seats. The desks of the Deputies d o not open up, but have sliding tops. Thus the banging of lids, to which turbulent Deputies in some European Parliaments are fond of resorting, IS SAFELY guarded against. Three is no place for inkpots, which, indeed, are not to be permitted, another cbaraoteristically Continental precaution againts personal violence. Honourable Deputies are to make pencil notes. Extraordinary precautions have been taken to ensure quietness in the building, the whole of the floor being so constructed that not a sound is heard when people move about. There are seats for 564 Deputes, and in the matter'of light and air the chamber is described as being nearly perfect. The public are, apparently, not to be encouraged to attend the debates, seeing that the single public gallery will hold no more than one hundred people.