HC Deb 20 July 1893 vol 15 cc100-1
MR. BRUNNER (Cheshire, Northwich)

I beg to ask the Solicitor General whether his attention has been called to a case heard by Mr. Cooke at the Marylebone Police Court, on Thursday, the 13th instant, and reported in The Daily News of the following day, in which the Magistrate inveighed in the strongest terms on the conduct of John Warner, furniture dealer, in seizing the furniture of Sarah Shibbling, purchased of him on the hire system, after £4 2s. 6d. had been paid out of £5 3s. 6d. due; and whether the Bills of Sale Bill is intended to provide against, or will, in fact, provide against, such cases?

THE SOLICITOR GENERAL (Sir J. RIGBY,) Forfar

The case referred to did not turn out to be a case of hire and purchase. There can be no doubt that great hardships are inflicted under that system, and the Lord Chancellor has taken it into his serious consideration. He introduced in the Bills of Sale Bill in the House of Lords a clause intended to deal with the whole question, but found that it provoked so much opposition that it was hopeless to go on with it. The Bill was one of a totally non-contentious character. It was one of several Bills, including the Public Authorities Protection Bill, the Evidence in Criminal Cases Bill, and certain Consolidation Bills, which had passed the Lords once or twice. Unfortunately, they had not been allowed to proceed upon those Bills in this House at present; but he hoped hon. Members who had hitherto taken objection to them would remember that they came down with the sanction of all Parties, and that they contained nothing of a contentious nature.

MR. BARTLEY

Do I understand these Bills passed in previous sessions?

SIR J. RIGBY

Yes; they were passed by the Lords.

MR. BARTLEY

Were they stopped in this House?

SIR J. RIGBY

I cannot tell the history of them, but they did not pass through this House.

MR. CARSON (Dublin University)

Is the Criminal Evidence Bill a non-contentious Measure?

SIR J. RIGBY

I think it was introduced by the late Government and passed with the assistance of the present Lord Chancellor, who has again passed it through the House of Lords with the entire approval and assistance of the other side.

MR. BRUNNER

Can the hon. Gentleman assure the House that the Government will take an early opportunity to promote legislation to put an end to this system of oppression of the poor?

SIR J. RIGBY

The Lord Chancellor is determined to take the earliest opportunity to deal with the law, and to remove, at any rate, some of the abuses which are shown to exist.