§ MR. WOODSI beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware that the Domestic Servants' Union presented a petition to the House of Commons on 26th March 1896, containing 10,000 signatures, praying for an alteration in the Law which enables an employer to refuse giving true character to a servant leaving his employment; and whether he can see his way on an early day to introduce an Amendment to the Master and Servants Act to obviate the present difficulty?
§ SIR MATTHEW WHITE RIDLEYI am aware that such a petition was presented last March; but, though there is doubtless much hardship, I fear it is not of a kind which, as far as I can see, can be remedied by legislation.