COLONEL MELLOR (Lancashire, Radcliffe)I beg to ask the Home Secretary a Question which gravely concerns the administration of justice in cases arising out of the Employers' Liability Act, viz., whether his attention has been called to a case which occurred in the Bury County Court yesterday, and reported in the Manchester papers of this morning, where it was stated (1) that on February 8 last, a youth employed by the East Lancashire Paper Mill Company, in the town of Radcliffe, had been awarded £108 damages in the Bury County Court for the loss of a hand; and (2) that the three men, servants of the company who gave evidence on subpœna on behalf of the plaintiff had all, within three weeks after the trial, been summarily dismissed from the company's service, without cause assigned, although one of them had worked for the company over 20 years, and another over 12 years; and (3) that no other servant of the company was so dismissed at the time except one—a girl of 15, a sister of the plaintiff and whether, in an amended Employers' Liability Bill, the right hon. Gentleman could introduce a clause protecting workmen, by indemnity or otherwise, who are called upon to give evidence in a Court of law in questions arising between employers and employed? [Cheers.]
§ SIR MATTHEW WHITE RIDLEYMy attention had not previously been called to this case. If the facts are correctly stated in the documents which the hon. Member has shown me, a great injustice seems to have been done—[cheers]— 769 and I will make inquiries into the circumstances. It is, however, very doubtful, I am afraid, whether I shall have power to take any action in the matter. As the hon. and gallant Member is, no doubt, aware, the protection of the Witnesses' Protection Act does not extend to witnesses in Courts of law.