§ MR. JAMES ROWLANDS (Finsbury, E.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether application has been made to the Chief Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police for the appointment of hackney carriage standings near the British Museum; and whether at the present time the Commissioner is prevented from fixing the standings by the 46 Geo. III., c.134, s. 35; and, if such is the case, whether he will take action to get so much of this Act repealed as interferes with the convenience of the public and the hackney carriage trade?
§ MR. MATTHEWSThe answer to the first and second questions of the hon. Member is in the affirmative. The 46 Geo. III., c. 134, was a local and personal Act, under which money was raised for the improvement of Bloomsbury Square by rates levied from the occupiers and owners of houses there; and I do not think it would be reasonable to repeal it without giving those owners and 1281 occupiers an opportunity of being heard, and without carefully balancing their claims against the amount of public convenience that might result from the repeal.
§ MR. J. ROWLANDSWill the right hon. Gentleman take steps to ascertain the opinion of those interested in the matter?
§ MR. MATTHEWSI have no power to do so.