§ MR. PICKERSGILL (Bethnal Green, S.W.)asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether it is 947 the practice for the police of Provincial towns, who are under the control of the Local Authorities, to watch disorderly houses; whether, before deciding upon the recent Order that the Metropolitan Police shall discontinue this practice, Sir Charles Warren consulted, or in any way communicated with, the Metropolitan Board of Works or the Vestries as being the Local Authorities of the Metropolis; and, if so, with which, and what was the nature of the communications; and, how long prior to the issue of Sir Charles Warren's Order the practice had prevailed of employing the Metropolitan Police to watch disorderly houses?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE (Mr. MATTHEWS) (Birmingham, E.)I am not aware whether it is the practice of the Provincial police to watch disorderly houses. Sir Charles Warren is away on leave; but I am informed by Colonel Pearson that, so far as he is aware, Sir Charles Warren did not communicate with the Local Authorities before the issue of the Order that the Metropolitan Police should discontinue the practice. The practice had prevailed for many years, certainly over 20 years.