§ MR. COBB (Warwick, S.E., Rugby)asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether his attention has been directed to the sale by the Barnoldswick Conservative Club of lottery tickets for prizes, which are to be drawn for on Primrose Day, April 19; whether any steps will be taken to prevent the lottery from being held; and, whether he can state how many lotteries promoted by Political Clubs or Societies, or for political purposes, have been actually prevented by the Director of Public Prosecutions during the present Session?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE (Mr. MATTHEWS) (Birmingham, E.)in reply, said, his attention had not been drawn to the lottery referred to otherwise than by the Question. If anything illegal were about to take place, it would be the duty of the Local Authorities to interfere. The Director of Public Prosecutions had since February 12 interfered in 12 cases. In two of these he had prosecuted successfully; in one the Local Authorities had prosecuted; in four cases the lotteries had been withdrawn, and the result in the remaining cases was not yet ascertained.
§ MR. COBBasked, whether the Public Prosecutor would not interfere in this case? He had sent a ticket for the lottery to the right hon. Gentleman.
§ MR. MATTHEWSThe ticket has not reached me. When it does I will return it. The Director of Public Prosecutions has recently represented to me that it was extremely inconvenient for him to be called upon to take action in all these cases, and that it would be better, outside the Metropolis, to call the attention of the Local Authorities to them. I think there is weight in that representation; and I propose, unless the cases should be within the Metropolitan area, to leave the matter for the future to the Local Authorities.