§ Mr. HANNONasked the Home Secretary whether his attention has been called to the application of the Shops Hours Act to the exhibitors at the National Trades Exhibition, now being held at Bingley Hall, Birmingham; and whether, seeing that this exhibition brings before the public a series of new productions of British manufacture, and that the exhibition opens at two o'clock and closes at half-past nine, with an interval of one and a half hours for tea, so that the assistants employed have a working day of only six hours, he will treat such trade exhibitions as fairs and exempt them by order from the operation of the Shops Hours Act?
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSMy attention has been drawn to this case, but I have no power under the Act to grant any such exemption as my hon. Friend suggests. The question whether any amendment of the law on this point is desirable is one which might be considered by the Departmental Committee now inquiring into the operation of the Act, and I will refer the matter to the Committee accordingly.