§ MR. H. R. WILSON (York, W.R., Holmfirth)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware that a woman named Margaret Brown, who is known to be drunk frequently and has recently been in prison for drunkenness, was taken up in York Street, Westminster, and obliged to be removed to the King Street Police Station on a stretcher quite drunk at 10 o'clock in the morning on Wednesday, 25th June; whether any and what steps were taken to ascertain where she was supplied with drink; and whether the person who supplied her with the drink has been prosecuted; and, if not, will he explain why this has not been done?
§ MR. STUART WORTLEYI am informed by the Commissioner of Police that a woman giving the name of Margaret Brown was arrested as stated. She had been charged with a like offence on the 18th June, and sentenced to seven days' imprisonment. As she was not seen leaving a public house, it was quite impossible to ascertain where she was supplied with drink. In nearly all such cases the drink is procured at several houses, and the difficulty of obtaining proof in a place like London is very great. If proof were forthcoming, the police would not hesitate to institute proceedings.