PARIS EXHIBITION—SUNDAY OPENING. (Hansard, 3 April 1900)

LORD KINNAIRD

My Lords, I beg to ask Her Majesty's Government whether the British Commission of the Paris Exhibition are justified in making regulations which will practically compel British exhibitors to open their exhibits and transact business on Sundays, with the alternative of having their exhibits taken out of their control; whether Her Majesty's Government will support the United States Government in attempting to secure the non-exhibition of goods on Sunday. I believe I am correct in saying that in the previous exhibitions in 1867, 1878, and 1889 there was no compulsion on British and American exhibitors to open their stalls on Sundays. But in connection with the forthcoming exhibition a new departure has been made, for Rule 19 of the General Regulations for British exhibitors provides that— All exhibits must be on view on every day on which the exhibition is open. If exhibitors or their representatives do not wish to be in attendance at the exhibition on Sunday, the Royal Commission will be prepared, if specially requested, to undertake the superintendence of the exhibits on Sunday, on terms to be arranged, but in that event the Royal Com- 1048 mission will not be responsible for any loss, damage, or accident, however occasioned. The first portion of this rule seems fair enough, but your Lordships will at once see that exhibitors would have great objection to handing over their property to strangers on Sundays, especially when it is provided that in the event of loss, damage, or accident, however occasioned, the Royal Commission will not be responsible. Many exhibitors feel that there is a principle involved, and that to compel them to open their stalls and transact business on Sundays is a great hardship. I understand that American exhibitors have represented to their Government that it is undesirable that they should be forced to open on Sundays contrary to their consciences, and that representations have been made by the United States Government, but I have not been able to ascertain with what result. I thought the matter of sufficient importance to ask Her Majesty's Government whether such a representation as I have indicated could not be made.

§ THE PRIME MINISTER AND SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (The Marquess of SALISBURY)

The Royal Commission have been fully informed of the views taken by the noble Lord, and by those who sympathise with him; but I need hardly tell him that we have no shadow or shred of authority in the matter, and that it is entirely for the authorities at Paris to determine what they will do. The objection which they have to the practice of shutting up a certain number of exhibits on Sunday is that the general appearance of the exhibition—and, of course, it is in its essence an exhibition—will be very seriously injured, and they do not think they are bound to encourage such an arrangement. Of course, we are in face of the fact that on this subject opinions of the most diverse character are entertained, and I think the opinions that are prevalent in France are not precisely sympathetic with those of the noble Lord. All that we can do we have done, which is to represent the fact that a great objection exists amongst certain exhibitors on the subject, but for the result of those representations we can be in no way responsible.