MR. JOSEPH COWENasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, If positive instructions have 1328 been issued by the Home Office to chief constables, forbidding them to charge fees for granting certificates of fitness to persons who require to keep explosives for private use, or to make any charge nominally for the purpose of covering the alleged expense of making the necessary investigation in regard to the applicant's fitness prior to the grant of such certificates?
§ SIR WILLIAM HARCOURT, in reply, said, he had often had occasion to explain in that House that he had no power to give positive instructions to constables. The Orders in Council did not authorize him to do so. As far as was known to the Chief Inspector of Explosives, no case had arisen which would necessitate that such instructions should be given.
§ SIR WILLIAM HARCOURTAll I can say is, that there is no authority for making them.