30 MARCH 1889, Page 3

Hours have been given this week, on Tuesday and Thursday,

to trumpery little debates in Supply upon the expenditure on Royal parks, palaces, stables, and garden walls. Not a shilling was saved or intended to be saved ; but the speakers enjoyed the twofold luxury of expending time, and giving annoyance to the Court. The only vote worth record, other than those given elsewhere, was one on the opening of Constitution Hill, which was nearly carried, the numbers being 80 to 78. The road will, therefore, it is believed, be thrown open. By way of tempting the Queen to reside in London, a proposal was also advocated for "throwing open" the gardens of Buckingham Palace, and so depriving the Sovereign, when in London, of the chance of a walk unembarrassed by sightseers. The proposition was not pushed to a division, but it doubtless will be, and will be carried, the notion that anybody can love seclusion, or find it indis- pensable to efficiency, being abhorrent to " modern sentiment." The ideal etiquette is that of the White House, where the mighty mob shakes hands with the President till he has an attack of rheumatism, and then shakes all the more to express loving sympathy.