§ MR. WOODALLasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether his attention has been directed to, and whether he is now in a position to come to a decision upon, the conflict of jurisdiction affecting places of public amusement, under which the Metropolitan theatres and certain patent 1230 houses in the provinces are compelled to close on Ash Wednesday, while the music halls on the Surrey side, and all theatres not subject to the jurisdiction of the Lord Chamberlain, are free from such disability; and, whether the Government will endeavour to remedy the injustice whereby some thousands of people are thus denied the opportunity of earning their livelihood, while all other trades and professions may be lawfully pursued?
§ SIR WILLIAM HARCOURT, in reply, said, he had communicated on the subject with the Lord Chamberlain, who informed him that the practice he pursued was precisely that of his Predecessors, and he did not think it was a matter in which the Government could interfere.