§ 58. Mr. ANNESLEY SOMERVILLEasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that a request was received from the committee 1201 of the Italian exhibition shortly to be held in the galleries of the Royal Academy of Arts, Burlington House, for the loan by the trustees of the British Museum of suitable Italian prints or drawings to be included in the Burlington House Italian exhibition; and will he give the reason for the trustees of the British Museum stating that the interests of students and the public visiting the Museum would be injured by loans of British Museum property to the Italian exhibition?
§ Mr. PETHICK-LAWRENCENo such request has reached the trustees of the British Museum. They propose to hold an exhibition of Italian drawings at the Museum simultaneously with the exhibition at Burlington House; and, in their opinion, students and the public will benefit by being able to see the drawings as a separate exhibition, apart from oil paintings, and without payment of an entrance fee.
§ Mr. MILLSCould representations be made to the authorities, in view of the short time that this unique collection will be in the country, that extra hours of opening should be available for the large number of people who would like to see it?
§ Mr. PETHICK-LAWRENCEThat does not arise out of the question.