§ MR. PEACOCKEsaid, he wished to ask the right hon. Baronet the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he had instituted an inquiry into the assault upon Miss Archer on the day of the proclamation of peace by a police constable of the D division?
§ SIR GEORGE GREYin reply said, he had instituted no inquiry into the facts of the case, because, as to the facts of the case, they had been disposed of by the decision of Mr. Jardine. He had, however, given directions that every endeavour should be made to ascertain the person by whom the assault had been committed; a searching inquiry had been made into the conduct of every officer on duty that day, and inquiries had also been made of the proprietors of shops in the neighbourhood where it was alleged the assault had taken place, but not one person had been discovered who had witnessed it. An advertisement had been inserted in the newspapers requesting the gentleman who was stated by Miss Archer to have afforded her assistance to come forward, but without any result, and, under those circumstances it had been impossible to take any further stop. He might add that every opportunity had been afforded to Miss Archer to identify the police constable who, she alleged, assaulted her.