Notes and Queries, Number 38, July 20, 1850 — John Shaqi
Notes and Queries, Number 38, July 20, 1850Various
History
Notes and Queries, Number 38, July 20, 1850
Various
Questions and answers -- Periodicals
As strangers may be admitted into the House to hear debates, and not
allowed to publish what they hear, so they may he admitted, subject to
exclusion at certain times, or when the House chooses. And this is the
case. The House, of course, retains the power of excluding them at any
moment. They are always made to withdraw before the House goes to a
division. This is a matter of practice, founded probably on some
supposed reasons of convenience. Again, on any member desiring strangers
to be excluded, the Speaker desires them to withdraw, without allowing
any discussion.
I have only to notice one other observation of Mr. Ross's, which is the
following:
"When I speak of strangers being admitted, it must not be
supposed that this was done by order of the House. No,
everything relating to the admission of strangers to, and their
accommodation in the House of Commons, is effected by some
mysterious agency, for which no one is directly responsible. Mr.
Barry has built galleries for strangers in the new house; but if
the matter were made a subject of inquiry, it probably would
puzzle him to state under what authority he has acted."
I do not think there is anything mysterious as regards admission. I am
fond of hearing the debates, and my parliamentary friends are very kind
to me. Sometimes I content myself with an order from a member, which
takes me into the hinder seats of the non-reporting strangers' gallery;
sometimes, when I know beforehand of an interesting debate, I get one of
my friends to put my name on the "Speaker's list," and I then take my
seat on one of the two front rows of the strangers' gallery; sometimes,
again, I go down on the chance, while the House is sitting; and if I am
fortunate enough to find any one of any friends there, he generally
brings me, in a few moments, an order from the Sergeant-at-arms, which
takes me also to the front row of the strangers' gallery. Some benches
under the strangers' gallery are reserved for peers, ambassadors, and
peers' eldest sons. The Speaker and the Sergeant-at-arms give permission
generally to foreigners, and sometimes to some other persons, to sit in
these benches. I do not know which officer of the House of Commons
superintends the admission of reporters. Ladies are admitted to the
Black Hole assigned to them, by orders from the Sergeant-at-arms. I have
no doubt that the Speaker and Sergeant-at-arms are responsible to the
House for everything relating to the admission of strangers, and without
taking upon myself to say what is the authority under which Mr. Barry
has acted, I have no doubt that, in building galleries for strangers in
the new house, he has done what is consistent not only with the long
established practice, but, under the new order of 1845, with the theory
of the House of Commons.
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