§ MR. CUNINGHAME GRAHAM (Lanark, N. W.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make further inquiries into the alleged destruction of a Petition by Police Inspector Wakefield, at the Hunter Street Office, as some of the constables declare that he destroyed a signed Petition, and not merely a printed form, as stated by the Home Secretary?
§ MR. MATTHEWSI have nothing to add to the answer which I gave to it similar question on Thursday. I have, satisfied myself that the Petition was accidentally torn, not wilfully destroyed, by the Inspector, and I do not propose to make any further inquiry into the matter.
§ MR. H. LAWSON (St, Pancras, W.)I wish to ask whether the Home Secretary can give the House any information as to the threatened strike of the Metropolitan Police, whether the statements in the newspapers are true, and what course the authorities intend to take with regard to it?
§ MR. MATTHEWSThe reports in the newspapers have been greatly exaggerated. Thirty-nine constables were guilty of insubordination by refusing to go on duty, on Saturday night, at Bow Street. Their cases have been considered by the Commissioner this day, and they have been dismissed the Service. They are nearly all young men who have not been long in the Force. The constables of longer standing and experience have behaved in a manner more worthy of the traditions of the Metropolitan Police, and have exhibited no insubordination. Every arrangement has been made for the due performance of police duties throughout the Metropolis.
§ MR. CUNINGHAME GRAHAMMay I ask whether the reason for the alleged insubordination of these men, and their consequent dismissal, did not arise out of their dissatisfaction with regard to the Petition which I have several times mentioned to the right hon. Gentleman?
§ MR. MATTHEWSNo, Sir; the dissatisfaction of these men arose from the fact that a constable was transferred from the E Division to another Division. The Petition to which the hon. Member refers had nothing to do with it.
§ MR. PICKERSGILL (Bethnal Green, S. W.)I wish to ask whether the facts are not these—that the constable had been circulating a copy of the Petition; that he was summoned to Scotland Yard, and was informed by the authorities there that the circulating of that Petition was grossly insubordinate? How does the right hon. Gentleman reconcile the statement of the authorities with the statement he himself made in the House that the police were perfectly entitled to petition?
§ MR. MATTHEWSWhat I said was that the police were perfectly at liberty to address Petitions to me, or to the Commissioner, in any sense they thought fit within their own divisions. The constable who was transferred had gone to a station where he had no right to be, 928 and where, without the permission of the Inspector, he had canvassed among the men. He had, moreover, solicited subscriptions of money without the permission of the Commissioner. For this grave breach of duty he was transferred.