MEMORABLE SCENES IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS.

Patea Mail, 8 May 1882, Page 4

MEMORABLE SCENES IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS.

In an interesting article on “Memorable Scenes in the House of Commons,” the Leisure Hour has the following : —• Lord Brougham once likened the House of Commons at certain seasons to a menagerie, and said of a certain night, had a blind person been conducted into the House and not told what the place was, he would certainly have supposed he ;was in some zoological establishment. It was on July 17th, 1835 ; an account of ; the sitting of the House may be found in either of the morning papers for the next day. James Grant was there and he has described it; but the Morning Post gives a graphic description of the sounds issuing from the benches—imitations of hand-organs, and -bag-pipes, the yelping of hounds, the crowing of the cock, “ so admirable,” says IVIr Grant, “ that you could not have distinguished it from the real chanticleer,” the bleating of sheep, the braying of asses. Upon another occasion wo have an account of an honorable member, who rose amid tremendous uproar and confusion. He said : I rise, sir, (ironical cheers, mingled with all sorts of zoological sounds.) I rise, sir, for the purpose of stating that I have—(“Oh I oh ! Bah !” and sounds resembling the bleating of a sheep mingled with loud laughter.) Honorable gentlemen may endeavor to put me down by their unmannerly interruptions, but I have my duty to perform to my con—(lronical cheers, loud coughing, sneezing, and yawning extended to an incredible length, followed by loud bursts of laughter.) I say, sir, .1 have constituents who, on this occasion, expect that I-—(cries of “Should sit down,” and shouts of laughter). They expect, Sir, that on a question of such importance—- (“ O-o-a-a-n,” and loud laughter, followed by cries of “ Order ! order !” from the Speaker.) I tell honorable gentlemen who choose to conduct thbmselves in such a way, that I am not to be put down by—(Groans, coughs, sneezings, hems, and various animal sounds, some of which closely imitated the yelping of a dog and the squeaking of a pig, interspersed with peals of laughter.) I appeal (“ Cock-aJeeri-o-co !” The imitation in this case of the crowing of a cock was so remarkably good, that not even the most staid and orderly members in the House could preserve their gravity. The laughter which followed drowned

llae Speaker’s cries of (t Order! order!”) I say, sir, this is most unbecoming conduct on the part of an assemblycalling itself re—(“ Bow, wow, wow,” and bursts of laughter.) Sir, may I ask any honorable gentleman who can—■ (“ Mew, mew,” and renewed laughter.) Sir, I claim the protection of the Chair. (The Speaker here again rose and called out “ Order! order!” in a loud and angry tone, on which the uproar in some measure subsided.) If honorable gentlemen will only allow me to make one observation I will not further trespass on their attention, but sit down at once. (This was followed by the most tremendous cheering in earnest.) I only beg to say, sir, that I think this is aniost dangerous and unconstitutional measure, and will therefore vote against it. The honorable gentleman then resumed his seat amidst deafening applause.

Subscriptions have been opened in the leading cities af the United States for an American memorial window to Dean Stanley, to be erected in Westminster Abbey, Sir E. J. Reed, M.P. for Cardiff, has recently purchased another railway in Florida, U.S., 174 miles in length. He now owns all the main Florida lines, extending over 500 miles.