§ MR. JAMES HOWARDasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether he has any record of the number of prize-fights which have taken place during the past year, and the increase over former years; and, if the police have received any special instructions in respect of the attempts to revive these encounters?
§ SIR WILLIAM HARCOURT,in reply, said, that he could only answer for the Metropolitan district. Beyond that area he must refer the hon. Member to the local authorities. In the Metropolitan district there had been no special increase in prize fights during the past year. There had been four such on- 339 counters attempted in the Metropolitan districts; but they had been stopped by the police, arrests had been made, and persons concerned bound over to keep the peace. There had also been one case of what was called a "glove light," which was in the nature of a prize fight; but steps had been taken to prevent the recurrence of such a contest.