§ MR. M'CARTAN (Down, S.)asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the arrest and treatment of Fred Henderson, of Norwich, on the occasion of the visit to that town of the Marquess of Salisbury on the 27th July last, Whether he is aware that the Mayor of Norwich, from whom he received the Report as to the charges against Henderson and the conduct of the police, was one of the most active supporters of, and also a speaker at the meeting addressed by the Marquess of Salisbury on the night of the arrest of Henderson; whether, according to the evidence given at the trial before the magistrates, Constable Mills did "hear Henderson shout 'Groans for Salisbury!'" and he also swore that "his hand came in contact with Henderson's head;" whether he can now state if Henderson's head was bruised and injured by the constable on the occasion; whether Constable Mills and Con- 1554 stable Fuller, after arresting Henderson, got him between their two horses, dragged him off at a quick trot through London Street to the Guildhall, and kept him in custody all night and next morning, up to the time when he was discharged by the Bench of Magistrates; whether there was any disorder previous to the attack on Henderson; whether the Bench held that there was no riot on the occasion; whether he is aware that there is a large number of most respectable witnesses in Norwich prepared to testify to the misconduct of the police and to the serious nature of the attack made on Henderson by the police; whether any inquiry was made from Henderson, or from any person save the promoters of the meeting addressed by the Marquess of Salisbury; and, whether he will now take into consideration the advisability of having an inquiry made into the conduct of the police on the night in question?
§ MR. CUNNINGHAME GRAHAM (Lanark, N.W.)also asked, Whether the right hon. Gentleman can now state if the Agricultural Hall Plain, in which Fred Henderson was holding a meeting at Norwich on the 27th July, when he was arrested by the police, has been frequently used for public mooting without hindrance or interference by the police; whether it was in pursuance of orders given by the Chief Constable that Fred Henderson was arrested by Mounted Constable Mills; whether he was dragged off to the barrack between two horses at full trot and kept a prisoner till nest day; and, whether an inquiry, open to independent witnesses, will be held into the conduct of the constables?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE (Mr. MATTHEWS) (Birmingham, E.)I have written to the Mayor of Norwich, to obtain the information desired by the hon. Members. There has not been time as yet to receive an answer; but I must repeat what I stated to the hon. Member for South Down on the 4th instant—that the local police are, by Statute, under the control of the Local Authorities. Complaints as to their conduct should be addressed to, and investigated by, the Watch Committee of the borough, and not by me. They, and not I, have the power to suspend and dismiss borough constables; and the hon. Members must, at any rate in 1555 the first instance, address their demands to the proper authoritiy.
§ MR. CUNNINGHAME GRAHAMsaid, the first part of his Question, which had been omitted, referred to the fact that orders were given to the police, in the hearing of several persona, to ride the people down.