§ MR. P. A. TAYLORsaid, he would beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether his attention has been called to a Letter upon Loan Societies, addressed by Mr. Tidd Pratt to the Magistrate of the Westminster Police Court, in which he uses the expression, "I consider these Societies us perfect swindles;" whether he accords with this opinion, or considers the condemnation too general; and, whether the Government propose to take any, and, if so, what course upon the matter?
MR. BRUCE, in reply, said, it was only within the last few days that his attention had been directed to the subject, and the answers to the inquiries he had made had not been very satisfactory. At the same time, they were not such as would justify him in adopting the energetic language of Mr. Tidd Pratt. If further inquiry should prove the justice of the character given by Mr. Tidd Pratt of those societies, it would, of course, be the duty of the Government to adopt measures for altering the Act which regulates them.