I.—lo.

II.—Tabulated Return showing Number of Members, Hours of Sitting, &c., of the Principal Parliaments of the World.

27

Country. Population. <+-! r-t SB Z\ CD Time of Session. Duration of Session. Days of Sitting. Hour of Meeting. Hour of Separating (average). Average Duration of Sitting. H °f s Total No. No. of Days sit °J.,„ of of S $S£ e Hours Meeting. ™f of nfght. Sitti »SPayment to Members. Tenure of Office of Members. Great Britain and Ireland (1881)— House of Lords II. of Corns. (Sess. 1880) (Sess. 1881) (Sess. 1882) (Sess. 1883) (Sess. 1884) 35,241,482 ! 526 658 •• 27 weeks 31 „ 26 „ 26 „ 25 „ Monday, Tuesday, V Wednesday,Thursday, Friday ' I 4.15 p.m. .. 3.45 p.m. ; on Wed., 12 noon to 6 p.m. •• II. M. 8 36 9 5 8 51 9 1 8 49 121 154 162 129 126 H. ' M. 163 30 238 35 231 45 179 10 166 50 H. M. 1,040 5 1,400 5 1,434 27 1,163 30 1,102 50 Nil I Nil i' Life. 7 years. Feb. 15 to Aug. 25 I 1 .. ! I I Austria Proper (1S84) — Rcichsrath — Upper House Lower House 22,144,244 198 353 Nov. or Dec. to May or June - 3 to 4 months .. j 1 11 a.m. 11 a.m. 4 to 5 p.m. 4 to 5 p.m. Life. 6 years. •• £1 per day Hungary (1884)— Reichstag — House of Magnates.. House of Reps. 15,725,710 1 751 447 I October 10 a.m. 10 a.m. 2 p.m. 2 p.m. 4 mos., with holidays at Christmas and Easter ■- •• •• •• , 3 years. 5,720,807 — Belgium (1884)— Senate 69 Second Tuesday in Nov. to June or July Min. 40 days; av. 8 to 9 months, with recess for 3 weeks at Christmas and Easter 5 days a week 1 p.m. on opening of sess.; 2 p.m. at end of sess. 4.30 p.m. .. Nil Chamber of Reps. 138 £16 16s.permonth to members not residing where Parliament sits 8 years; half retire every 4 years. 4 years; half retire every 2 years. 2,045,179 i Denmark (1884)— Rigsdag— Landsthing First Monday in October Ditto Average for 5 yrs., 196 days Ditto 3.30 to 4.30 p.m. 5 to 6 p.m.; night - sittings rare 145 15s. per day 12 for life; 54 for 8 years. 3 years. 66 1.30 p.m. .. Folkething 102 1 p.m. 150 15s. France (1881)— Senate J37,672,048 — 300 Second Tuesday in January Ditto j- Min. 5 months .. ( 15,000 francs (£625) 75 for life ; 225 for 9 years. 4 years. Chamber of Deputies.. 557,' 5 days a week 2 p.m. 6 p.m. I 9,000 francs (£375) (colonial representatives allowed trav. expenses) J45,234,061 — I Germany (1880)— Bundesrath .. Reichstag •• 62 397 Jan. or Feb. to July 1 4 to 5 months .. 1 11 a.m. 11 a.m. 4 p.m. 4 p.m. App'nted each .sess. 3 years. •■ •• 9s. per day (free passes on railw'y s)