"STRANGERS" IN PARLIAMENT.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 1989, 20 May 1875, Page 4

"STRANGERS" IN PARLIAMENT.

_ An unusual incident occurred at the sitting of the House of Commons on March. 8. During the debate on Mr Pease's motion; two strangers entered the House by the members' doorway, and, passing unchallenged, took their seats in the body of the. House, on the Liberal side* close by the .chair of, the Sergeant-at-Arms. There they.i.sat, according to their own story/ufoßlwer half an hour. How they passed thenpolicemen and doorkeepers -by whom the entrance is so jealously guarded, it is hard to say. Probably they were helped by the easy unconsciousness which - comes from ignorance of wrong-doing. As they saw the gentlemen around them with their hats on, the two strangers observed what they thought was the etiquette of the place, and kept their hats on top. They had comfortable beaches, were not at all crowded, and mußt have been charmed with the accommodation so thoughtfully provided by Parliament for visitors. At length a division was called. The Speaker's wonted emphatic warning, " Strangers must withdraw," fell upon deaf ears, for the two strangers .did not understand the summons, and remained in their places. When the doors ' were locked and tellers were appointed, and members passed leisurely into the' division lobbies, tho two visitors must have begun to feel uncomfortable, and see that they were not guile • where' they "ought to be. By this time Captain Gossett's attention had been called to them;> and the first order they received was, " Take your hats off." As the doors were locked the intruders could not be turned out, and it would have been against all Parliamentary precedent to unlock the doors for any purpose. They were therefore led up-stairs into .the gallery reserved for distinguished strangers, and after the division was over were severely taken to task by Captain Gossett, Colonel Forester, and the officials of the House. Their explanation was simple. They had orders for^the. Strangers' Gallery, signed, oddly enough, by Colonel Forester himself. They were told by a policeman in the Central Hall to walk "straight on," and having done so only too literally, they found themselves in the body of the House, where they sat down, knowing no better. By one of the Standing Orders of the Commons, the Serjeant-at-arms, is directed.." from time to time to take into his custody any stranger or .strangers he shall see, or who may be repprted to him to be, in any part of the House or gallery appropriated to the members of this House, and also any stranger who, having been admitted into any other part of the House or gallery shall misconduct himself, or shall not withdraw when strangers are directed to withdraw while the House or any committee of tbe whole, House is sitting; and that no Serson so taken into custody could be is charged out of custody without the special order of the House.'' It was thought, on the whole, inexpedient to make too much of this incident by taking the delinquents into custody as they really appeared to have erred through ignorance, and therefbre-no notice was taken by the House of their intrusion. But they were severely admonished, and, it is to be hoped, were duly scared by the representation pf the.penalties they might have incurred'and the serious breach of the Standing Orders they bad committed. We understand that one of the strangers was a respectable licensed victualler, residing in London, who had procured an order of admission for a country friend of the same calling. They will be able to relate to their friends an exceptional experience.