§ COLONEL HOWARD VINCENTI beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury if his attention has been directed to the express terms of the 4th section of the Bank Holiday Act (34 & 35 Vict,, c. 17), authorising the proclamation of a close holiday in all banks in any particular county, city, borough, or district of the United Kingdom, without reference to any other part of the country in which such holiday is not desired; and if the Government can be induced to re-consider its refusal to take the steps necessary to secure freedom from ordinary work for the bank clerks and other officials in places like Sheffield, wherein, by popular desire and civic authority, the Royal Wedding Day is to be observed by all other classes of the community, and not least of all by working men, as a day of general rejoicing?
§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURY (MR. W. E. Gladstone,) Edinburgh, MidlothianI believe, Sir, that the hon. Gentleman is correct in his reference to the Bank Holiday Act. In cases of local holidays we have had no representation whatever from the Local Authorities that it would be, in their judgment, desirable to arrest the action of the banks on those days, and we certainly could not deem it to be our duty to consider that question except on the motion of the Local Authorities.
§ COLONEL HOWARD VINCENTIf the Local Authorities make a representation will the right hon. Gentleman take the necessary action?
§ MR. W. E. GLADSTONEWe must wait and see what their action is.