§ MR. WOODSI beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that on the 7th instant, while a public meeting was being held near the train terminus in Wigan, and in consequence of a drunken man disturbing the meeting, the police officer ordered the meeting to be broken up, took the names and addresses of the chairman and lecturer, and threatened to summon them: whether the police officer had any authority to order a peaceably-conducted meeting to be thus broken up; and whether he proposes to take any steps to remedy the action of the police officer?
§ MR. ASQUITHYes; inquiry has been made and a Report received from the police of Wigan from which, and from the statement of another witness, it appears that the police constable had to interfere in order to stop two fights. He did not break up the meeting, though ho requested the speaker to desist, and took his name. The speaker, I am informed, continued lecturing for an hour afterwards.