members expected the Speaker would peremptorily interfere. But Mr.
Mitchell Henry, an old Parliamentary hand, knew he was within his right
in speaking from this unwonted position. The side galleries as far down
as the Bar are as much within the House as is the Treasury Bench, and
though orators frequenting them would naturally find a difficulty in
catching the Speaker's eye, there is no other reason why they should
not permanently occupy seats there.

Mr. Mitchell Henry explained that he spoke from this place because he
could not find any other. He had come down in ordinarily good time to
take his seat, and found all the benches on the floor appropriated by
having hats planted out along them. In each hat was fixed a card,
indicating the name of the owner. What had first puzzled Mr. Henry, and
upon reflection led him to the detection of systematic fraud, was
meeting in remote parts of the House, even in the street, members who
went about wearing a hat, although what purported to be their headgear
was being used to stake out a claim in the Legislative Chamber. Mr.
Henry made the suggestion that only what he called "the working hat"
should be recognised as an agent in securing a seat.

[Illustration: THE NON-WORKING HAT--UNIONIST.]

The strict morality of this arrangement was acquiesced in, and its
adoption generally approved. But nothing practical came of it.
By-and-by, in the ordinary evolution of things, the pressure of
competition for seats died off, and the supernumerary hat disappeared
from the scene. This Session the ancient trouble returned with increased
force, owing to the peculiar circumstances in which political parties
are subdivided. The Irish members insisting upon retaining their old
seats below the gangway to the left of the Speaker, there was no room
for the Dissentient Liberals to range themselves in their proper
quarters on the Opposition side. They, accordingly, moved over with the
Liberals, and appropriated two benches below the gangway, thus driving a
wedge of hostile force into the very centre of the Ministerial ranks. It
was the Radical quarter that was thus invaded, and its occupants were
not disposed tamely to submit to the incursion. The position was to be
held only by strategy. Hence the historic appearance on the scene on the
first day of the Session of Mr. Austen Chamberlain with relays of hats,
which he set out along the coveted benches, and so secured them for the
sitting. On the other si