§ MR. C. B. McLAREN (Leicester, Bosworth)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department—(1) whether he is now aware that a memorial, signed by the Vicar and Chairman of the Vestry and other inhabitants of Hammersmith, against the present regulations as to omnibus standings, had, on the recommendation of the Law and Parliamentary Committee of the Vestry, been sent by the Vestry Clerk to the Commissioner of Police; that the Commissioner of Police replied to such letter; that his reply was remitted to the same Committee to consider what further steps should be taken; that a continuous succession of omnibuses are, by virtue of the regulation in question, standing or moving at short intervals all day long in front of private premises in Queen Street and Bridge Road; and that a constable is, at the public expense, specially stationed to look after the movement forward of these omnibuses; (2) whether there is any reason why the particular omnibus company using these stands cannot acquire private stands for the purposes of its business; and (3) whether there is any reason why the Vestry should not be allowed to deal with the regulation of these matters, under their statutory powers, without interference by the Commissioner of Police?
§ SIR MATTHEW WHITE RIDLEYA memorial from residents in and near Queen Street in regard to the number of omnibuses stopping there was received by the Commissioner from the Vestry, who forwarded it to him simply and without comment. As stated in my former answer, no standings are 1613 appointed by the Commissioner, whose action is confined to making regulations for enforcing order at places (such as Queen Street) where omnibuses stop, and fixing the time each omnibus shall be allowed to remain. It is true that a man is stationed in Queen Street to look after the omnibuses; he is not, however, a constable, but a servant of the company. As regards the second paragraph of the Question, I can only say that it is not in my power to compel the company to acquire a private standing. As regards the last paragraph, I can express no opinion as to the extent of the statutory powers of the Vestry, but what the hon. Member describes as "interference by the Commissioner" appears to be nothing more than the performance by him of his duties under the Public Carriage Acts. The case has received a great deal of consideration, and the Commissioner considers Queen Street, where there is very little traffic, to be the best place which could be found.