§ CAPTAIN CHALONER (Wilts, Westbury)I beg to ask the First Commissioner of Works whether he can see his way to grant special passes to Members of the House of Commons on Jubilee Day, to enable them to obtain access to their stands without having to start at an unreasonable hour in the morning?
§ THE FIRST COMMISSIONER OF WORKS (Mr. AKERS-DOUGLAS,) Kent, St. Augustine'sThe Question of my hon. and gallant Friend should properly have been addressed to the Home Secretary, who has desired me to say that no special passes will be given, but the police will have instructions to facilitate the passage of all those holding tickets for the House of Commons stand to their seats. Due notice will be given as to the hour at which all persons must be in their places.
§ COLONEL LOCKWOOD (Essex, Epping)I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether, in view of the many interests represented in the cycling world, the Government will grant facilities for a monster Diamond Jubilee Cycle Demonstration, organised by the Cyclists' Parliamentary and Municipal Association, to be held in Hyde Park on Saturday 19th June; and whether, on that occasion, police could be placed 914 on duty for the better maintenance of order along the route?
§ MR. AKERS-DOUGLASPerhaps my hon. and gallant Friend will allow me to answer this Question as it affects the Royal parks. A similar request was made to and declined by me some weeks ago. I regret that I cannot reconsider the matter, and must again refuse to authorise such a demonstration in Hyde Park.
§ SIR SEYMOUR KING (Hull, Central)I beg to ask the First Commissioner of Works whether, among the Members of the Colonial Services for whom seats are to be provided to view the Procession on Jubilee Day, any provision will be made for Members of the Indian Civil and Military Services?
§ MR. AKERS-DOUGLASI have promised to place at the disposal of the India Office as many seats as can fairly be allotted to that Department, and, further, to find if possible some seats for the services specially alluded to by my hon. Friend. The distribution of tickets will be made by the authorities of the India Office.
§ MR. J. H. YOXALL (Nottingham, W.)I beg to ask the Vice President of the Committee of Council on Education if, in view of the impracticability of obtaining anything like a full attendance of children at public elementary schools during the school week ending 25th June It 1897, of the consequent loss in grants payable on average attendance, and of the risk of not fulfilling the minimum number of school openings required by the code if schools be closed during the said week as well as during the customary vacations of the year, he is now in a position to intimate that in the opinion of the Committee of Council the week ending 25th June ought to be made a children's holiday, and that for school years which include that week the minimum number of school openings required as a condition of the grants will be 390 and not 400?
§ THE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL (Sir JOHN GORST,) Cambridge UniversityThe Committee of Council will leave the matter to the discretion of the managers. There will, in ordinary cases, be no difficulty in making up the 400 openings required.