Mr. Vernon Harcourt is in a great state of mind
about the -Parks' Bill, a measure introduced by Mr Ayrton giving the Rangers of the Royal Parks the same powers as are given to any municipality which possesses one, and authorizing the park-keepers to arrest offenders without warrant. He described the Bill as an infraction of Magna Charts, a violation of the Bill of Rights, and, quoting Mr. Henley, as a specimen of " Algeria° legisla- tion." Why did he not call it a rhomboidal parallelopiped at -once, and be done with it ? That would have been quite as reasonable, and far more entertaining. The only exception to be taken to the Bill is that it entrusts power not to Mr. Ayrton and the police, but to an irresponsible officer called a Ranger, whom Parliament does not like to scold because he is usually Royal, and to his keepers, who may be, and often are, superannuated rascals. If the Bill were amended by clauses abolishing the Ranger and the park-keepers, and putting the parks under Colonel Henderson, nobody not enlisted on the side of disorder could object to its provisions.
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