Though a colonial empire, ranging over the diameter of the
earth does not interest the House of Commons, the ladies' grat- ing in that assembly does. Yesterday week, when Lord Bury seemed to have some difficulty in getting any hearing for his re- quest for a day to discuss New Zealand affairs, a very warm dis- cussion arose on the great grating question, in which the friends of the grating, powerfully backed up by ladies behind the scenes, carried the day. Mr. Layard asserts that out of 200 ladies whom he has consulted, only two were favourable to the removal of the grating, their reason being that it enables them to observe with- out being observed, to talk or go to sleep when a speaker is dull without giving offence, to go away in the middle of a speech, and to dress as they please. They are also of opinion that it secures both members of Parliament and themselves from gossip, such as that one member stammers when Miss A— is in the gallery, and that another reserves all his eloquence for the ears of Lady B—. It does not appear that these dire results follow the conspicuousness of the peeresses and their daughters in the House of Lords ; but if the ladies prefer their cage, it would be simply impolite to take it down. But is there not just one reason not enumerated by Mr. Layard for their preference of this privacy,— that members can join them without being observed and criticized from below—in fact, that it is at present a very convenient "flirt- ing lobby" for the House of Commons—a privilege denied to the Lords?
