SIR TREVOR LAWRENCEasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether his attention has lately again been called by the Local Authorities to the very defective and inadequate accommodation of the Wandsworth Police Court, whereby grave inconvenience and serious impediments to the due administration of justice are occasioned; and, whether he persists in his determination to defer dealing with this matter until after the indefinite date of the passing of the London Government Bill?
§ SIR WILLIAM HARCOURTI have never disputed that the inadequate accommodation at the police court referred to has been the cause of great inconvenience to the public, and I have long endeavoured to get the evil remedied. But I can now only repeat to the hon. Baronet the advice I gave him some months ago. I have exhausted my resources, and I am sorry to say I cannot get the necessary money. I shall be very glad, therefore, if the hon. Baronet will turn his batteries towards the Secretary to the Treasury instead of towards me.
SIR TREVOR LAWRENCEsaid, that as it was impossible for him to turn any battery on to the Treasury, he would ask the right hon. Gentleman on Monday whether his determination not to deal with this subject until the London Government Bill had passed would not have the effect of inflicting great inconvenience on the people of the 874 Wandsworth district for several years; and, whether the want of a proper court would not increase whether the London Government Bill passed or not?
§ SIR WILLIAM HARCOURTI will answer that Question at once. I have no such determination as that attributed to me by the hon. Baronet in the second half of this Question. On the contrary, I have been labouring week after week and month after month to get this thing done; and I do not mean to postpone the matter until after the passing of the London Government Bill.