§ MR. HOGANI beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether he is aware that Members of the Imperial Parliament visiting the self-governing Colonies are, on the Motion of the Premier, accommodated with chairs on the floor of the House to the right of the Speaker, and that this courtesy is never reciprocated, even the Prime Ministers of the Colonies having to be content with ordinary seats in the galleries of this House; and. whether he will consider the propriety of proposing a new order, to provide that in future visiting Colonial Premiers and Ministers of the Crown be admitted to the gallery on the right of the Speaker reserved for Members of this House, but rarely occupied?
§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURY (Mr. A. J. BALFOUR,) Manchester, E.I am sure that there would be every desire on the part of the House to treat distinguished visitors with the utmost courtesy; but the hon. Member who puts this question must bear in mind that the structure of this 1225 House is very different from that of most popular Assemblies, and that, as a matter of fact, hon. Members of this House, if they attend in large numbers, can hardly get places for themselves. It would, therefore, be difficult to allocate a part of this House to those who do not form part of this Assembly. Any attempt to put chairs on the floor of the House, as believe is done in other Assemblies, could not be carried out here, as it would interfere with the Divisions.