§ MR. HUBBARDsaid, he would beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home 1559 Department, Whether his attention has been directed to the lamentable amount of juvenile criminality, largely attributable to the spread of cheap publications and theatrical representations of an exciting and immoral character, which corrupt the children of the lower classes, and stimulate them into courses of dishonesty and vice; and, whether the Government will propose any remedy for these growing and most serious evils?
§ MR. GATHORNE HARDYsaid, in reply, that the hon. Member had been good enough to place in his hands samples of the publications of which he complained. The police authorities had also placed similar periodicals in his possession. The publications, although very bad in their character, were not of such a nature as to mate them liable to prosecution. They were merely sensational, and did not come within the provisions of Lord Campbell's Act, or they would be seized and destroyed. With respect to the theatrical representations referred to, he was informed that there was a great deal of exaggeration. With regard to those places that were known as "penny gaffs,"—the police had told him that those which they had visited the performances were not in themselves immoral, and therefore the authorities could not interfere. As to the publications, he begged to assure the hon. Member that if anything whatever could be done to counteract their tendency he should be happy to do so.