§ (1) If any officer of the local authority authorised in that behalf or any constable finds neglected, abandoned, or without visible means of support or cruelly treated any person whom he has reasonable cause to believe to be a defective, he may take such person to a place of safety, and such person may be there detained until a petition under this Act can be presented.
§ (2) If it appears to a justice on information on oath laid by an officer or other person authorised by the local authority that there is reasonable cause to believe that a defective is neglected or cruelly treated in any place within the jurisdiction of the justice, the justice may issue a warrant authorising any constable named therein, accompanied by the medical officer of the local authority or any other duly qualified medical practitioner named in the warrant, to search for such person, and if it is found that he is neglected or cruelly treated, and is defective, to take him to and place him in a place of safety until a petition can be presented under this Act, and any constable authorised by such warrant may enter, and if need be by force, any house, building,. or other place specified in the warrant, and may remove such person therefrom.
§ (3) Where the place to which such a person is taken is a workhouse, the master shall receive him into the workhouse if there is suitable accommodation therein, arid any expenses incurred in respect of him shall be defrayed by the local authority, but shall, if an order is eventually made, be recoverable from the defective or any person liable to maintain him as 252 if they were part of the expenses of his maintenance.
§ Mr. WEDGWOODI beg to move my first Amendment in Clause 15, which Clause gives power to the local authority to deal summarily with cases of children who are being neglected or abandoned or have no means of support, and it gives not only to the local authority but to any constable power to enter and to remove these children. "If any officer of the local authority authorised in that behalf or any constable finds neglected, abandoned, or without visible means of support, or cruelly treated any person whom he has reasonable cause to believe to be defective, he may take such person to a place of safety, and such person may be there detained until a petition under this Act can be presented." It seems to me rather strong to give to any constable power to take any child away on the ground that it is a defective child and to carry it off to a workhouse. It is enforced abduction, so to speak, when the constable has grounds to suppose that the child is being neglected. I think the poor are under the thumb of the police enough already, and I do not notice that they are getting more popular as time goes on. I think by giving this power you will be storing up a good deal more unpopularity for the police than they have at the present time. Surely, if you give to any officer of the local authority—and there are lots of these inspectors available—power to take these children wherever they may find them, that is enough, without extending that power to constables who will know very little about this Act, and who have quite enough to do with the working classes as it is. I move to leave out the words "or any constable."
§ Mr. MARTINI beg to second the Amendment.
§ Mr. McKENNASurely, it is proper that a constable who finds a child neglected or abandoned should have the power to take that child.
§ Mr. WEDGWOODA constable has that power already if the children are in difficulty. You are giving additional powers to take away a child who is not in a state which would normally call for the help of the police, and anyone "who is neglected or abandoned" according to the constable. She may be playing in the street in front of her own house.
§ Question, "That the words proposed to be left out stand part of the Bill," put, and agreed to.
§ Mr. McKENNA rose in his place, and claimed to move, "That the Question be
§ Question put accordingly, "That the words of the Bill to the end of Clause 19 stand part of the Bill."
254§ now put in respect of the words of the Bill to the end of Clause 19."
§ Question put, "That that Question be now put."
§ The House divided: Ayes, 147; Noes, 22.
253| Division No. 223.] | AYES. | [3.25 a.m. |
| Abraham. William (Dublin, Harbour) | Gladstone, W. G. C. | O'Connor,. John (Kildare, N.) |
| Acland, Francis Dyke | Goldstone, Frank | O'Doherty, Philip |
| Adamson, William | Griffith, Ellis Jones | O'Dowd, John |
| Allen, Arthur A. (Dumbartonshire) | Gulland, John William | O'Malley, William |
| Allen, Rt. Hon. Charles P. (Stroud) | Gwynn, Stephen Lucius (Galway) | O'Neill, Dr. Charles (Armagh, S.) |
| Arnold, Sydney | Hackett, John | O'Shee, James John |
| Baird, J. L. | Harcourt. Robert V. (Montrose) | Parker, James (Halifax) |
| Barton, William | Harvey, T. E. (Leeds, West) | Parry, Thomas H. |
| Beauchamp, Sir Edward | Hayden, John Patrick | Phillips, John (Longford, S.) |
| Beck, Arthur Cecil | Hazleton, Richard | Price, C. E. (Edinburgh, Central). |
| Benn, W. W. (Tower Hamlets, S. Geo.) | Higham, John Sharp | Pryce-Jones, Colonel E. |
| Bennett-Goldney, Francis | Hobhouse, Rt. Hon. Charles E. H. | Reddy, M. |
| Boland, John Pius | Hughes, Spencer Leigh | Redmond, John E. (Waterford) |
| Bowerman, Charles W. | Illingworth, Percy H. | Redmond, William (Clare, E.) |
| Boyle, Daniel (Mayo, North) | John, Edward Thomas | Redmond, William Archer (Tyrone, E.) |
| Brace, William | Jones, H. Haydn (Merioneth) | Roberts, Charles (Lincoln) |
| Brady, Patrick Joseph | Jones, J. Towyn (Carmarthen, East) | Roberts, G. H. (Norwich) |
| Brunner, John F. L. | Jones, Leif Stratten (Notts, Rushcliffe) | Robertson, J. M. (Tyneside) |
| Bryce, J. Annan | Jones, William (Carnarvonshire) | Robinson, Sidney |
| Burns, Rt. Hon. John | Joyce, Michael | Roch, Walter F. (Pembroke) |
| Cawley, Harold T. (Lancs., Heywood) | Keating, Matthew | Rowlands, James |
| Chancellor, Henry George | Kelly, Edward | Samuel, J. (Stockton-on-Tees) |
| Chapple, Dr. William Allen | Kilbride, Denis | Scott, A. MacCallum (Glas., Bridgeton) |
| Clancy, John Joseph | King, Joseph | Seely, Col. Rt. Hon. J. E. B. |
| Clough, William | Lambert, Richard (Wilts, Cricklade) | Sheehy, David |
| Clynes, John R. | Lardner, James C. R. | Smyth, Thomas F. (Leitrim, S.) |
| Condon, Thomas Joseph | Levy, Sir Maurice | Stanley, Albert (Staffs, N.W.) |
| Crumley, Patrick | Lewis, Rt. Hon. John Herbert | Stewart, Gershom |
| Cullinan, John | Lundon, Thomas | Strauss, Edward A. (Southwark, West) |
| Davies, David (Montgomery Co.) | Lynch, A. A. | Sutherland, J. E. |
| Davies, Sir W. Howell (Bristol, S.) | Macdonald, J. Ramsay (Leicester) | Taylor, Theodore C. (Radcliffe) |
| Dawes, James Arthur | McGhee, Richard | Taylor, Thomas (Bolton) |
| Delany, William | Maclean, Donald | Tennant, Harold John |
| Dickinson, W. H. | Macpherson, James Ian | Thorne, G. R. (Wolverhampton) |
| Doris, William | MacVeagh, Jeremiah | Ure, Rt. Hon. Alexander |
| Duffy, William J. | McKenna, Rt. Hon. Reginald | Verney, Sir Harry |
| Duncan, C. (Barrow-in-Furness) | M'Laren, Hon. F.W.S. (Lincs., Spalding) | Wason, John Cathcart (Orkney) |
| Duncan, J. Hastings (Yorks, Otley) | Marks, Sir George Croydon | Webb, H. |
| Edwards, Clement (Glamorgan, E.) | Meagher, Michael | White, J. Dundas (Glas., Tradeston), |
| Edwards, Sir Francis (Radnor) | Meehan, Francis E. (Leitrim, N.) | White, Sir Luke (Yorks, E.R.) |
| Elverston, Sir Harold | Meehan, Patrick J. (Queen's Co., Leix) | White, Patrick (Meath, North) |
| Esmonde, Dr. John (Tipperary, N.) | Millar, James Duncan | Whyte, A. F. (Perth) |
| Esmonde, Sir Thomas (Wexford, N.) | Molloy, Michael | Wiles, Thomas |
| Essex, Sir Richard Walter | Morgan, George Hay | Williams, John (Glamorgan) |
| Ferens, Rt. Hon. Thomas Robinson | Morrell, Philip | Williamson, Sir Archibald |
| Ffrench, Peter | Muldoon, John | Wilson, W. T. (Westhoughton) |
| Field, William | Munro, R. | Wing, Thomas Edward |
| Fiennes, Hon. Eustace Edward | Murray, Captain Hon. Arthur C. | |
| Fitzgibbon, John | Nolan, Joseph | TELLERS FOR THE AYES.—Mr. Geoffrey Howard and Captain Guest. |
| Flavin, Michael Joseph | O'Brien, Patrick (Kilkenny) |
| NOES. | ||
| Barnston, Harry | Goldsmith, Frank | Morrison-Bell. Major, A. C. (Honiton) |
| Booth, Frederick Handel | Greene, W. R. | Peto, Basil Edward |
| Bridgeman, William Clive | Henderson, Major H. (Berks, Abingdon) | Samuel, Samuel (Wandsworth) |
| Burn, Colonel C. R. | Hodge, John | Sanders, Robert Arthur |
| Dalrymple, Viscount | Hogge, James Myles | Stanley, Hon. G. F. (Preston) |
| Denison-Pender, J. C. | Hope, Major J. A. (Midlothian) | |
| Dickson, Rt. Hon. C. Scott | Horner, Andrew Long | TELLERS FOR THE NOES.—Mr. Wedgwood and Mr. Martin. |
| Gibbs, G. A. | Jessel, Captain H. M. | |
| Gilmour, Captain John |
§ The House divided: Ayes, 156; Noes, 5.
255| Division No. 224.] | AYES. | [3.31 a.m. |
| Abraham, William (Dublin, Harbour) | Gilmour, Captain John | O'Brien, Patrick (Kilkenny) |
| Acland, Francis Dyke | Gladstone, W. G. C. | O'Connor, John (Kildare, N.) |
| Adamson, William | Goldstone, Frank | O'Doherty, Philip |
| Allen, Arthur A. (Dumbartonshire) | Griffith, Ellis Jones | O'Dowd, John |
| Allen, Rt. Hon. Charles P. (Stroud) | Gulland, John William | O'Malley, William |
| Arnold, Sydney | Gwynn, Stephen Lucius (Galway) | O'Neill, Dr. Charles (Armagh, S.) |
| Baird, John Lawrence | Hackett, John | O'Shee, James John |
| Barnston, Harry | Harcourt, Robert V. (Montrose) | Parker, James (Halifax) |
| Barton, William | Harvey, T. E. (Leeds, West) | Parry, Thomas H. |
| Beauchamp, Sir Edward | Hayden, John Patrick | Peto, Basil Edward |
| Beck, Arthur Cecil | Hazleton, Richard | Phillips, John (Longford, S.) |
| Benn, W. W. (T. Hamlets, St. George) | Henderson, Major H. (Berks, Abingdon) | Price, C. E. (Edinburgh, Central) |
| Bennett-Goldney, Francis | Higham, John Sharp | Pryce-Jones, Colonel E. |
| Boland, John Pius | Hobhouse, Rt. Hon. Charles E. H. | Reddy, Michael |
| Bowerman, Charles W. | Hope, Major J. A. (Midlothian) | Redmond, John E. (Waterford) |
| Boyle, Daniel (Mayo, North) | Horner, Andrew Long | Redmond, William (Clare, E.) |
| Brace, William | Hughes, Spencer Leigh | Redmond, William Archer (Tyrone, E.) |
| Brady, Patrick Joseph | Illingworth, Percy H. | Roberts, Charles H. (Lincoln) |
| Bridgeman, William Clive | Jessel, Captain H. M. | Roberts, George H. (Norwich) |
| Brunner, John F. L. | John, Edward Thomas | Robertson, John M. (Tyneside) |
| Bryce, J. Annan | Jones, Henry Haydn (Merioneth) | Robinson, Sidney |
| Burn, Colonel C. R. | Jones, J. Towyn (Carmarthen, East) | Roch, Walter F. (Pembroke) |
| Burns, Rt. Hon. John | Jones, Leif Stratten (Notts, Rushcliffe) | Rowlands, James |
| Cawley, Harold T. (Lancs., Heywood) | Jones, William (Carnarvonshire) | Samuel, J. (Stockton-on-Tees) |
| Chancellor, Henry George | Joyce, Michael | Sanders, Robert A. |
| Chapple, Dr. William Allen | Keating, Matthew | Seely, Rt. Hon. Colonel J. E. B. |
| Clancy, John Joseph | Kelly, Edward | Sheehy, David |
| Clough, William | Kilbride, Denis | Smyth, Thomas F. (Leitrim, S.) |
| Condon, Thomas Joseph | King, Joseph | Stanley, Albert (Staffs. N.W.) |
| Crumley, Patrick | Lambert, Richard (Wilts, Cricklade) | Stanley, Major Hon. G. F. (Preston[...]) |
| Cullinan, John | Lardner, James C. R. | Stewart, Gershom |
| Dairyrnple, Viscount | Levy, Sir Maurice | Sutherland, John E. |
| Davies, David (Montgomery Co.) | Lewis, Rt. Hon. John Herbert | Taylor, Theodore C. (Radcliffe) |
| Davies, Sir W. Howell (Bristol, S.) | Lundon, Thomas | Taylor, Thomas (Bolton) |
| Dawes, James Arthur | Lynch, Arthur Alfred | Tennant, Harold John |
| Delany, William | Macdonald, J. Ramsay (Leicester) | Thorne, G. R. (Wolverhampton) |
| Dickinson, W. H. | McGhee, Richard | Ure, Rt. Hon. Alexander |
| Dickson. Rt. Hon. C. Scott | Maclean, Donald | Verney, Sir Harry |
| Doris, William | Macpherson, James Ian | Wason, John Cathcart (Orkney) |
| Duffy, William J. | MacVeagh, Jeremiah | Webb, H. |
| Duncan, C. (Barrow-in-Furness) | McKenna, Rt. Hon. Reginald | White, J. Dundas (Glasgow, Tradeston) |
| Duncan, J. Hastings (Yorks, Otley) | M'Laren, Hon. F.W.S. (Lincs., Spalding) | White, Sir Luke (Yorks, E.R.) |
| Edwards, Clement (Glamorgan, E.) | Marks, Sir George Croydon | White, Patrick (Meath, North) |
| Edwards, Sir Francis (Radnor) | Meagher, Michael | Whyte, A. F. (Perth) |
| Elverston, Sir Harold | Meehan, Francis E. (Leitrim, N.) | Wiles, Thomas |
| Esmonde, Dr. John (Tipperary, N.) | Meehan, Patrick J. (Queen's Co., Leix) | Williams, J. (Glamorgan) |
| Esmonde, Sir Thomas (Wexford, N.) | Millar, James Duncan | Williamson, Sir Archibald |
| Ferens, Rt. Hon. Thomas Robinson | Molloy, Michael | Wilson, W. T. (Westhoughton) |
| Ffrench, Peter | Morgan, George Hay | Wing, Thomas Edward |
| Field, William | Morrell, Philip | |
| Fiennes, Hon. Eustace Edward | Muldoon, John | |
| Fitzgibbon, John | Munro, Robert | TELLERS FOR THE AYES.—Hon. Geoffrey Howard and Captain Guest. |
| Flavin, Michael Joseph | Murray, Captain Hon. Arthur C. | |
| Gibbs, George Abraham | Nolan, Joseph |
| NOES. | ||
| Booth, Frederick Handel | Hogge, James Myles | TELLERS FOR THE NOES.—Mr. Wedgwood and Mr. Martin. |
| Goldsmith, Frank | Morrison-Bell, Major A. C. (Honiton) | |
| Hodge, John |
§ Ordered, That further Consideration of the Bill, as amended, be now adjourned.—[Mr. Gulland.]
§ Bill, as amended (in the Standing Committee), to be further considered tomorrow (Tuesday).