§ MR. SYDNEY BUXTON (Tower Hamlets, Poplar)asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether his attention has been called to the case of assault by gipsies in Epping Forest on 11th July, for which assault several men were, on 29th July, sentenced by the Bench at the Epping Petty Sessions to various terms of imprisonment; whether he is aware that parts of Epping Forest are infested by gipsies, and that the above is not an isolated case of assault by them; and, what steps he proposes to take to render the Forest safe to visitors?
§ MR. PICKERSGILL (Bethnal Green, S.W.)inquired, whether the right hon. Gentleman was aware that the principal sufferers by these attacks were excursionists and Sunday school children; and that in the case mentioned a small school had incurred an expense of £30 in conducting the prosecution; and, further, as the prosecution was obviously undertaken in the public interest, he would consider the propriety of re-imbursing the necessary costs to the school?
§ HE SECRETARY OF STATE (Mr. MATTHEWS) (Birmingham, E.)I have received a Report from the Commissioner of Police, who informs me that the scene of the assault in question lies a considerable distance beyond the boundary of the Metropolitan Police District. I have accordingly written to the Chief Constable of Essex, calling his attention to the alleged state of the Forest, and asking him to favour me with a Report on the matter. I have no information as to any assaults other than the one referred to in the Question, on which occasion I understand that 12 out of the 15 gipsies who were summoned 65 for the assault were convicted by the Epping Bench. I propose to communicate with the Conservators of Epping Forest, as well as with the County Constabulary, with a view of securing a more effectual protection of visitors. I shall be very happy to give consideration to the question of the prosecutors' costs.