§ MR. WARTONasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, If he could give a Return showing the number of clubs in the United Kingdom, when they were established, the number of members in each, and the subscription, annual or otherwise, distinguishing those which are working men's and proprietary clubs, and those which are registered under the Friendly Societies Act, and giving the annual sale therein of all exciseable liquors during the last three years, or for a less period if not established so long?
§ SIR WILLIAM HARCOURTSir, I am afraid that I cannot promise the hon. and learned Member that I can give him this Return. I do not know that I have any means of getting it. Objections are often taken to the inquisitorial nature of the action of the police; and if they were to pry into every club in the Kingdom in order to ascertain what was the annual sale there of all exciseable liquors during the last three years I think there would be just cause of complaint. I do not know, if the hon. and learned Member wants an inquiry to be made into the sale of all exciseable liquors in the clubs to which he himself belongs, whether that would be quite agreeable to those clubs.