§ MR. J. A. M. MACDONALD (Tower Hamlets, Bow, &c.)In the absence of the hon. Member for South-West Ham, I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has instructed the police at Walham Green to distrain for fines imposed by the Magistrate at the West London Police Court for non-compliance with the Vaccination Acts; and whether such fines should be collected by the Local Authorities, who are the prosecutors?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. ASQUITH, Fife, E.)The Law Officers have advised that, in all cases where the penalty goes to the Crown, the police are justified in enforcing its payment; but in vaccination cases the police have been instructed to refer to the Home Office. In the present instance a distress warrant 1828 has been issued, but is not yet executed, and I have not yet given instructions in the case, which is under consideration.