Before the House proceeds to deal with the business on the Orders of the Day, I desire to raise a question affecting the privileges of Deputies. To-day, some Deputies have been unable to get one visitor into the gallery. I was endeavouring to bring two friends into the inner lobby a few minutes ago, one of whom was a former colleague of mine in Parliament. He is still a member of the Northern Parliament. I was refused permission to bring them into the inner lobby. There were at least 100 more people in the gallery yesterday than there is to-day, and I think that any Deputy who was unable to bring a visitor into the gallery to-day should receive some explanation as to why it is considered that the gallery is overcrowded to-day, when at least 100 people were allowed to stand in it yesterday. I merely wish to raise the question to see if some order cannot be made to safeguard the rights of private members, with a view to facilitating their constituents, especially on occasions like yesterday and to-day.
I am aware that at times certain seats can be reserved in the front row, even for people coming in late, while an ordinary member cannot get his friends in. When I was a member at Westminster, every member of the House was entitled to two tickets, and a member, no matter how humble he was, received the same courtesy as the biggest member in the House. They all had the same rights and privileges. I hope that on future important occasions, such as this, citizens will not be left outside the gates while there is still room in the gallery, or, at any rate, that you will insist that each member will receive a fair share of the tickets allowed.
