§ MR. HOPWOODasked the Postmaster General, Whether the managers of the Inventions Exhibition are exempted from the payment of postage for circulars, parcels, and letters; and, whether, considering that part of the Exhibition consists of illuminated gardens, bands of music, &c. and that large profits are made, and that no such exemption is granted to any similar exhibition not under a Royal Commission, he will advise the Crown that the exemption should be withdrawn?
§ MR. SHAW LEFEVRENo, Sir.
§ MR. HOPWOODfurther inquired whether this exemption had not existed in respect to previous Exhibitions; and when it had ceased to exist?
§ MR. SHAW LEFEVREI am not aware that it has existed in the case of other Exhibitions. I will inquire on that point; but I was only speaking of the future.
§ MR. HOPWOODI have the authority of the late Postmaster General for that statement.
§ MR. HOPWOODalso asked the Secretary to the Treasury, Whether the Inventions Exhibition and the two previous Exhibitions have been or will be charged with Income Tax on profits as commercial undertakings?
§ MR. BIRKBECKsaid, that before his hon. Friend answered the Question he wished to ask, Whether it was not a fact that in the case of the International Exhibition of 1851 a profit of about £150,000 was made, and no Income Tax paid; and, whether he was aware that in the case of the Fisheries Exhibition of 1883 all the profits were handed over to charitable objects?
§ MR. HIBBERTNo doubt it is correct that the profits of the Fisheries Exhibition were not used for commercial objects, but for public purposes. In reply to my hon. and learned Friend (Mr. Hopwood), I have to state that, though, strictly speaking, the Inventions Exhibition and the previous Exhibitions cannot be said to be commercial undertakings, it is intended by the Chancellor of the Exchequer to endeavour to charge Income Tax upon the profits of those undertakings.