MISCELLANEOUS. No. 1 (1902).

REPORTS from His Majesty's Representatives in
Foreign Countries respecting the Methods of
taking Divisions in Legislative Assemblies, and
the Number and Duration of the Sittings.

Presented to both Houses of Parliament by Command

of His Majesty. February 1902.

MISCELLANEOUS. No. 3 (1902).

REPORTS

FROM

HIS MAJESTY'S REPRESENTATIVES

IN

AUSTRIA-HUNGARY, BELGIUM, FRANCE, GERMANY,
ITALY, AND THE
THE UNITED STATES,

RESPECTING THE

RULES IN FORCE FOR PRESERVING ORDER IN THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLIES OF

THOSE COUNTRIES.

In continuation of "Miscellaneous No. 1 (1902)": Cd. 907].

Presented to both Houses of Parliament by Command of His Majesty.
February 1902.

LONDON:

PRINTED FOR HIS MAJESTY'S STATIONERY OFFICE,

BY HARRISON AND SONS, ST. MARTIN'S LANE,

PRINTERS IN ORDINARY TO HIS MAJESTY.

And to be purchased, either directly or through any Bookseller, frem
EYRE & SPOTTISWOODE, EAST HARDING STREET, FLEET STREET, E..,
AND 32, ABINGDON STREET, WESTMINSTER, S.W.;

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OR E. PONSONBY, 116, GRAFTON STREET, Dzalin.

Reports from His Majesty's Representatives in Austria-
Hungary, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, and
the United States, respecting
States, respecting the Rules in
force for Preserving Order in the Legislative
Assemblies of those Countries.

[In continuation of "Miscellaneous No. 1 (1902)": Cd. 907.]

(Telegraphic.)

No. 1.

The Marquess of Lansdowne to Sir E. Monson.*

Foreign Office, February 4, 1902.

MY circular despatch of the 2nd August last on Parliamentary procedure.
Supplementary report is required on following question :—

In case of disorderly conduct of members or disregard of Chair in either House of
Legislature, what remedy and powers of punishment do Rules provide?

Reply by telegraph immediately.

No. 2.

Sir E. Monson to the Marquess of Lansdowne.-(Received February 4.)

(Telegraphic.)
Paris, February 4, 1902.
YOUR Lordship's telegram of to-day: Parliamentary Procedure. All inter-
ruptions, all personalities, and disorderly manifestations are forbidden and punishable
in four ways:
Call to order, call to order with record on the Minutes, censure,
censure with temporary exclusion. In case of general disorder President can suspend
sitting. Copy of the Regulations will be forwarded to-night by post.

No. 3.

Sir E. Monson to the Marquess of Lansdowne.-(Received February 4.)

(Telegraphic.)

Paris, February 4, 1902.

YOUR Lordship's telegram of to-day. In continuation of my telegram of to-day on Parliamentary Procedure, it is provided that if the Chamber lapses into disorder, which cannot be quelled by the President, the latter can put on his hat. If this signal is disregarded, he announces that he will suspend the sitting. If upon this order is not restored, he suspends the

Also to Berlin, Vienna, Rome, Brussels, and Washington,

sitting for an hour, and the Deputies leave the Chamber. At the end of the hour the sitting is resumed, but if the disorder is renewed, the President terminates the sitting and adjourns it till the morrow. Article 117 provides the four penalties which can be imposed on Deputies:

1. Call to order.

2. Call to order with record on the Minutes.

3. Censure.

4. Censure with temporary exclusion from the Chamber.

Article 118 provides that No. 1 penalty shall be imposed on any speaker who is out of order, and on any Member of the Chamber who violates Article 107.

Article 119. Penalty No. 2 is imposed on every Deputy who offends the second time and in the same sitting in the manner prohibited in Article 118, and this penalty is explained by Article 120 to carry with it the withdrawal during a fortnight of half the salary of the Deputy. Remaining provisions by post to-night.

No. 4.

Sir F. Lascelles to the Marquess of Lansdowne.-(Received February 4.)

(Telegraphic.)

YOUR telegram of to-day.

Berlin, February 4, 1902.

Only Regulations on the subject contained in Rules of Procedure for Reichstag and two Chambers of Prussian Diet provide that President of Reichstag can call a disorderly member to order, at same time naming him. Should a member be guilty of gross misconduct, he can be excluded by President from the sitting. If he refuses to go, President can close the sitting for a certain period or altogether. Should President be unable to obtain a hearing, he puts on his hat and sitting is thereby suspended for an hour. In cases of disorder in Prussian Diet, President can name member or suspend sitting temporarily or altogether, but a member can be excluded only on the motion of another member.

No. 5.

Mr. Phipps to the Marquess of Lansdowne.—(Received February 4.)

(Telegraphic.)

YOUR telegram of to-day.

Brussels, February 4, 1902.

In Lower House disorderly conduct is punishable by expulsion from Chamber for remainder of sitting. Refusal to leave Chamber involves exclusion for eight succeeding sittings, the sitting in which the offence occurs being suspended. In Upper House above rules do not exist, but disregard of chair is punishable only by interdiction to speak on subject during remainder of sitting. Rules are considered very insufficient, for Chamber alone, on proposal of President, can pronounce exclusion above indicated.

My Lord,

No. 6.

Sir E. Monson to the Marquess of Lansdowne.-(Received February 5.)

Paris, February 4, 1902. WITH reference to your Lordship's telegram of this day respecting French Parliamentary procedure, especially in regard to the penalties inflicted on Deputies for disorderly conduct or disregard of the authority of the President, I have the honour to state that I have procured the inclosed copy of the "Règlement de la Chambre des Députés," and have already telegraphed to your Lordship the substance of Articles Nos. 107, 109, and 117, which refer to disorderly and refractory conduct of Deputies and the penalties which can be imposed for such conduct.

By Article 107, every interruption, every personality, and every disorderly manifestation are forbidden.