MR. JOSEPH COWENasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether, in reference to the intimation he made yesterday that the penalties imposed under the Act 21 Geo. 3, should not be "unduly pressed," he has any objection to state the Statute under which he thinks the Crown can remit these penalties; and if, upon further inquiry, he should find that such a 1920 power does not exist, whether he will bring in a Bill this Session to indemnify all companies and persons against whom actions have been brought?
MR. ASSHETON CROSS, in reply, said he stated on the 31st of May that, considering all the circumstances of the case, Her Majesty's Government did not think the Brighton Aquarium case was one in which the penalties imposed under the Act 21 Geo. III. should be "unduly pressed," and he stated the same thing the other day. An Act of Parliament had been placed before him, 22 Vict., c. 32, which enabled the Crown to remit penalties. In order to remove any doubts whatever as to the construction of that statute it might be necessary to introduce a Bill this Session to give that Act a wider application, not only in the Brighton Aquarium case, but in all cases of a similar kind.