§ MR. SHEPHERD CROSS (Bolton)asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether, having regard to the fact that the Corporation of Bolton have been compelled to pay the Lancashire Justices the sum of £6,584 3s. 2d. for the services of county police to assist the borough police in quelling disturbances arising out of the recent strike in the engineering trade, the Government will consider the propriety of making an additional grant to the borough in respect of the pay of such constables; or whether, considering that the amount paid to the County Justices exceeds by £2,723 13s. 6d. the ordinary pay of the county police so employed, the Government will withhold any further grant to the County Justices until a fair allowance has been made by them to the Corporation of Bolton?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE (Mr. MATTHEWS) (Birmingham, E.)No, Sir. The Home Office has no funds at its disposal out of which an additional grant could be made to the borough, even if it were thought desirable. Neither have I the power to withhold any grant in aid of an efficient police force maintained by the county. I may add that whatever was paid by the Corporation of Bolton to the Lancashire Justices was so paid under an agreement between the two.