§ MR. ATHERLEY-JONES (Durham, N.W.)asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether his attention has been drawn to the recent prosecutions of Evangelical and Socialist lecturers for alleged obstruction in the streets of the Metropolis; whether such interference with the long-established custom of holding peaceable meetings in unfrequented streets and at cross roads is due to special or any instructions given by the Home Office; and, if so, what the nature of these instructions may be; whether, in certain of such prosecutions, it has been admitted by the police that the passage of traffic was not sensibly interfered with; and, whether, having in view the small number of open spaces other than highways in the more densely populated districts of the Metropolis, he will advise that instructions be given to the police not to institute proceedings, save only in those cases where the passage of traffic is rendered impracticable?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE (Mr. MATTHEWS) (Birmingham, E.)The Home Office has issued no special or recent instructions to the police as to their dealings with meetings in the streets. The instructions given by the Chief Commissioner are that the police are never to interfere except when there is a positive obstruction to the traffic. I am not aware of any admission on their part that they ever have interfered except under these circumstances. The instructions of the Chief Commissioner seem to me to be quite proper and in accordance with the law, and I have no intention of advising any alteration.