§ MR. PICKERSGILL (Bethnal Green, S.W.)asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether the Metropolitan Police Fund is composed partly of public taxes and partly of Metropolitan rates, and by what authority he is taking a portion of that fund to buy 14,000 Jubilee medals; and, whether be can now state the estimated cost of the medals?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE (Mr. MATTHEWS) (Birmingham, E.)Yes, Sir. The Metropolitan Police Fund is made up in the manner stated in the Question. The medals are given in acknowledgment of extraordinary exertions of the police, and their cost is a charge which, I am advised, I have power, under 10 Geo. IV. c. 24, s. 12, to direct to be borne by the Metropolitan Police Fund. The cost of the medals has not yet been settled.
§ MR. PICKERSGILLfurther asked the estimated cost?
§ MR. MATTHEWSreplied, that be had bad estimates submitted to him by an officer of the Mint for a certain class of medal, and the medal bad been forwarded to the Chief Commissioner for his approval, which had not yet been obtained. The preliminary estimate was £83 per 1,000 medals.