§ MR. W. M. TORRENSasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, When the Criminal Statistics of the Metropolitan Police District for 1879 will be published; and if it is not a fact that they will show a considerable decrease in serious crime?
MR. ASSHETON CROSS, in reply, said, the Returns referred to were prepared and brought down to the 31st December, 1879, and appeared in a sort of Appendix to the Commissioner's Report. That was not usually laid before Parliament for a few months; but he was glad to be able to state, in reference to the last part of the hon. Gentleman's Question, that when the Returns were laid on the Table it would be found that they showed a considerable decrease of serious crime in the Metropolitan district.