§ LORD GEORGE HAMILTONasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether, considering that the Police Magistrates of London do not agree as to the object or intention of the regulation prohibiting cabmen from removing their plates from one hackney carriage to another, he will consider the advisability of rescinding it?
MR. BRUCE,in reply, said, it seemed that the noble Lord had read the commencement of that controversy, but had not followed it to its close. It appeared that Mr. Arnold had put on that regulation a construction different from that put upon it in some 23 cases by other police magistrates, and at the same time questioned the power of the Secretary of State to make the regulation at all. In consequence of that a consultation was held among the police magistrates, and Mr. Arnold finding that he was the only one entertaining that opinion, and that every one of his colleagues disagreed from him, had the sense and the manliness to declare in open court—and the declaration was reported—that in future he would decide the question in accordance with the decisions given by the other magistrates, and, in fact, submitted his opinion to the general opinion of his brother magistrates.
§ LORD GEORGE HAMILTONThen the right hon. Gentleman will not rescind the regulation?
MR. BRUCECertainly not; the regulation is a very useful one, otherwise it would not be possible to keep up the cabs to the proper standard.