§ MR. P. A. TAYLORsaid, he would beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, What his intentions are with reference to this Bill which stood for second reading?
§ MR. GATHORNE HARDYIt is not my intention, Sir, to proceed with the Bill this evening. I expected to be in possession of the course recommended by the Law Officers of the Crown before I should be called on to reply to the hon. Gentleman's Question, but I have not received their opinion yet. I think, however, that it is desirable the question of meetings in Royal Parks should be discussed without reference to a meeting for a particular object. My desire is that all persons should be enabled to enter the Parks for the purposes of recreation and enjoyment, and I believe that we shall best enable them to do so by preserving the rights of the Crown. As I think the question will be likely to receive a far calmer discussion at another time than now, when events connected with the recent meeting in Hyde Park are still fresh in the recollection of hon. Members and the public, I propose to postpone the second reading till after Whitsuntide, solely with the view that the subject should receive a satisfactory discussion.