§ MR. SAMUEL SMITH (Flintshire)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been drawn to the large number of cases in which persons, often young girls, make collections in public thoroughfares for objects of alleged charity; whether such procedure can be controlled by the police; and, whether there is any check upon the improper use of such mode of collection?
§ SIR MATTHEW WHITE RIDLEYI am aware that collections for objects of charity are made to a considerable extent in the public streets, but the police control over them only extends to seeing that no obstruction takes place and that no annoyance is caused to passers by.