§ MR. COBBI beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether he is aware that, on the 27th of September last, Mr. William Churchill, grocer, of Deddington, was convicted by the magistrates of selling a bottle of whiskey to Amelia Gilbey, while she was in a state of intoxication, and fined 10s. and 29s. costs; that the principal and most important witness in support of the charge was Police Constable England, whose evidence was contradicted in many respects by seven respectable witnesses who were called for the defence; whether the Chairman of the Bench, H. C. Risley, Esq. is correctly reported to have stopped the solicitor for the defence in cross-examining the police constable as to his character and credibility, and remarked that "Police Constable England would not be there if he had not a good character;" whether seven months previously Police Constable England had been removed from Tadmarton to Deddington for drunkenness, and 14 months previously had been removed from Woodstock to Tadmarton, because he induced two toys to improperly procure beer for him out of their father's cellar; whether he is aware that very general dissatisfaction has been expressed in the district by the action of the Bench and the police; and whether he will cause inquiries to be made as to the case?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. MATTHEWS, Birmingham, E.)I have made inquiries into this casa, and am informed that the conviction took place as stated. The Bench were more satis- 426 fied with the evidence of the constable and the independent testimony of a very reliable witness, than with the evidence for the defence. I do not gather that the Chairman used the words quoted, but stated that the antecedents of the constable did not affect his credibility as to a plain matter of fact. The Chief Constable informs me that the constable was removed from Tadmarton for drunkenness, but he has no record of his having been removed from Woodstock under the circumstances stated. Both the Chief Constable and the Justices inform me that they are not aware of any general dissatisfaction in the district with the action of the Bench and the police.