§ MR. J. ROWLANDS (Finsbury, E.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware that, as reported in The Star of 10th August, Mr. Do Rutzen, one of the Metropolitan Magistrates, is going to hear again some summonses, under the Factory and Workshops Acts, previously dismissed by him; whether the summonses referred to are those against the decision on which notice of appeal was given by Her Majesty's Superintending Inspector of Workshops, Mr. Lakeman; whether those appeals have been withdrawn; and, if so, on what grounds; and whether the appeals against recent decisions by Mr. Plowden, another Metropolitan Magistrate, on other summonses under the same Acts, are to be proceeded with; and, if not, for what reason?
§ MR. ASQUITHThere wore four cases before Mr. De Rutzen in which the summons was pronounced informal. I understand that fresh summonses are to be granted and the cases heard on their merits. There is no appeal in cases that are dismissed, but application may be made for a case to be stated on a point of law. In these four eases no such application was made. There were two cases before Mr. Plowden both dismissed, and in both a case was asked for. As to one of them, it was not thought a favourable case, and was dropped accordingly. As to the other case, I may refer to the answer I gave in this House on the 21st of last month.