§ MR. DOULTONsaid, he would beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether the owners or occupiers of places of public resort are at present responsible for the provision of proper safeguards against injury to the lives or limbs of those performing in or frequenting such places; and, if no such responsibility at present exists, to inquire whether he is prepared to introduce next Session such an amendment of the Law for licensing places of public amusement as should empower the police or local authority to enforce such necessary protection?
§ SIR GEORGE GREYsaid, he apprehended that the occupiers of any place of public resort or amusement who undertook to provide the machinery or apparatus for dangerous or other exhibitions were clearly responsible for providing proper safeguards against injury to life or limb; and if any injury occurred through their culpable neglect, they would be legally responsible for the consequences. The question had reference, no doubt, to two lamentable accidents which had recently occurred, one at Cremorne Gardens and the other at Birmingham. When the accident occurred at Cremorne, the occupier of the gardens immediately announced his attention of prohibiting all such performances in future, and he hoped that the same course would be taken elsewhere. So long as the public desire existed for performances of this character, however much that desire was to be deprecated, he was afraid they would take place, and the Government had no power to prohibit them. But on several occasions on which performances were announced, in which there was evident danger and risk of life to the performers, the Secretary of State had addressed circulars to the occupiers and owners of the places of amusement warning them of the responsibility they incurred and the consequences which might result to them in case of loss of life. In general he was glad to say such remonstrances had been attended with the desired effect.