§ MR. KEIR HARDIE (West Ham, S.)I beg to ask the Secretary for Scotland whether his attention has been called to the action of Captain Boyd, Chief Constable of Glasgow, who has prohibited the College Division Branch of the Independent Labour Party from holding open air meetings opposite the Olympia, Cowcaddens, whilst permitting meetings to be held on the same spot by the Salvation Army; and whether he has any power to compel Captain Boyd to refrain from interfering with the meetings of the Independent Labour Party?
§ SIR G. TREVELYANA complaint was made to the police by the residents that certain persons were occasioning an obstruction in the locality in question within the meaning of the 149th section of the Glasgow Police Act of 1866. The Chief Constable, who never acts in such matters except upon a complaint, warned the persons complained against that they would be prosecuted if the meetings were persisted in. The Chief Constable was not aware who the persons were until afterwards, but the police had repeatedly seen the street blocked by them. No complaint has ever been made against meetings of the Salvation Army there. I have no powers to interfere with Captain Boyd's action in enforcing the provisions of the Act to which I have referred.