. . — On Monday Mr. Darby Griffith took the
opportunity of a vote
for the Houses of Parliament to complain of arrangements within' the House of Commons. He complained of the want of room, there being only 170 seats from which any one who wishes to speak can be heard, and of the absence of cross benches on which members belonging to either side might sit. Mr. Cowper replied by a statement that 170 seats were quite enough, and that it was open to any one who liked to speak from the gallery, a hint not very likely to be taken. Then Mr. liorsman got up and made an oddly arrogant speech, cemplaining by innuendo that members would not let him have a fixed seat, and openly that his " increasing " party had no bench upon which they could sit and consult like a government. This brought up Mr, Gladstone, who chaffed Mr. Horeman upon his "party," said the House knew who Ministers were, but did not know who the party were, affirmed that since the Reform Bill party lines had become more marked, and pointed out that the Peelites of 1852, who were a party, were by the courtesy of the House allowed to occupy three benches. This is all quite true, but nevertheless it is a fact tb.at the arrange- ments in the House are inconvenient, that members have to waste time in securing seats hours before they want them, and that there are not seats for more than 500 members.
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