HC Deb 09 July 1888 vol 328 cc737-8
MR. JAMES STUART (Shoreditch, Hoxton)

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether his attention has been called to the judgment of Mr. Justice Wills on Friday last, in which he is reported saying, Upon the materials brought before then Trafalgar Square is an open space regulated by Act of Parliament, which limited rights of way over it and extinguished others. By an Act of Parliament of the present reign it was vested in Her Majesty in right of Her Crown, and in the Commissioners of Woods and Forests was vested the control and management of the Square. These powers were now vested in the Commissioners of Works and Buildings. Trafalgar Square was entirely the creation of statutes; and whatever rights were found in them the right of public meeting was not in any statute. Mr. Lewis had failed to establish the right of meeting in Trafalgar Square, or that the Commissioners of Works had the right to say whether it should be so used; and, whether, considering that Trafalgar Square is not an ordinary highway, he will introduce a Bill for the regulation of public meetings therein, under conditions similar to those imposed by the Regulations framed for Hyde Park and certain other Parks by the Commissioners of Works?

THE SECRETARY OF STATE (Mr. MATTHEWS) (Birmingham, E.)

Her Majesty's Government do not propose to introduce a Bill for the purpose suggested by the hon. Member.

MR. JAMES STUART

Then, Sir, I beg to give Notice that I will to-morrow ask leave to introduce a Bill for the purpose mentioned.