§ MR. WHALLEYsaid, he would beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to Weights and Measures, Whether he has received complaints from Peterborough, Birkenhead, Maidstone, and other places complaining of the mode of enforcing the Law by the Police and otherwise, and especially in regard to the violation of the Act 5 & 6 Will. IV. c. 63, in applying the penalties to the payment of the Police Force; and, whether any and what protection is afforded to traders against being subjected to penalties by reason of the Standard Weights being in some cases inaccurate. He would also like to know whether the Returns for which he had given Notice that he would move on the subject would be granted?
§ MR. GATHORNE HARDYsaid, that he had not himself received any such complaints, and he found that in 1866–-67 there had been no such complaints as the hon. Member referred to in the particular towns he named; nor, so far as he knew, had there being any general complaint on the subject, though the employment of the police had, indeed, sometimes been urged as a grievance. With reference to the latter part of the Question, he had said earlier in the Session that there been a difficulty in carrying out the law, in consequence of the Standard Weights not having been correctly tested. He was afraid he should not be able grant the Returns asked for.