§ MR. J. HAVELOCK WILSON (Middlesbrough)On behalf of the hon. Member for West Ham (Mr. KEIR HARDIE), I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been called to the fact that a second batch of tailors on strike at Ashton-under-Lyne were fined 5s. and costs at the Police Court for alleged obstruction, although it was proved that the pickets kept constantly on the move, and did not of themselves cause any obstruction; and whether any action can be taken to prevent Magistrates from interfering with pickets who are acting legally?
§ MR. ASQUITHThis is the same point as that raised by the hon. Member in a question to me a short time back. The facts were not disputed. The defendants were represented by Counsel, and the Justices expressed themselves willing to state a case for the opinion of the Divisional Court if Counsel considered they were wrong in their construction of the law. Under those circumstances I cannot interfere.