§ Sir C. BlackI beg to ask leave to present a Petition on behalf of 367,312 persons living in various parts of the British Isles. The Petition has been signed by 221,691 persons in England, 59,243 persons in Wales, 50,726 persons in Scotland and 35,652 persons in Northern Ireland.
The terms of the Petition are as follows:
To the Honourable the Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in Parliament assembled.The humble Petition of the undersigned electors of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland,SHOWETHThat whereas the Sunday Entertainments Bill presented by Mr. William Hamling would permit amusements, entertainments and sporting events upon a large scale on Sundays, and whereas the Bill would open Sunday to extensive commercial exploitation, and whereas it would cause many workers to lose the opportunities which Sunday gives for family life, rest and worship, and whereas the Bill would seriously jeopardise the spiritual life of the nation, and whereas it would be a grave departure from the moral law of Almighty God.Wherefore, your Petitioners pray that the Sunday Entertainments Bill be rejected.And your Petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray, etc.
§ To lie upon the Table.