§ MR. JAMES ROCHE (Galway, E.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, having regard to the well-known and dangerous effect upon horses of the sight or smell of a live bear, and to the recent lamentable accident resulting in the death of a child in London on the 18th instant, which was caused by the bolting of a horse on meeting a performing bear in Marylebone Road, he will direct the police to prevent the exhibition in the thoroughfares of live bears in any part of the kingdom?
§ The following Questions on the same subject also appeared on the Paper: —
§ COLONEL DALBIAC (Camberwell, N.). I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if his attention has been called to the recent fatal accident in the Marylebone Road caused by the presence of a bear in the public street; and, if so, will he now take measures to absolutely forbid these performances?
§ COLONEL WYNDHAM MURRAY (Bath)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware that a fatal accident lately occurred in the streets in consequence of 542 a horse being startled by a performing bear; and whether he can now take steps to stop this performance in London, and so prevent the recurrence of such accidents?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT (Sir M. W. RIDLEY, Lanes.,) BlackpoolMy attention has been called to this unfortunate accident, but there is no power for the general prohibition of these performances. The matter is one which can, to some extent, be dealt with by by-laws, and a reasonable by-law will always be favourably considered by the Home Office.