§ MR. LOUGH (Islington, W.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware that on Friday, the 14th April, a cab driver who had been engaged to call at Romano's, in the Strand, at 3.30 in the afternoon to take up a fare, was prevented by the police from driving along the Strand, and told that he must either go down on to the Embankment or up into Covent Garden; and whether he will modify the new cab regulations in such a way as to prevent such action on the part of the police?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENTDrivers of empty cabs are not prevented from passing along the Strand for the purpose 374 of keeping engagements there. In the particular case referred to the cabman did not inform the policeman who stopped him that he had an appointment at Romano's, but left his cab in the Strand and went to Bow Street to complain of the action of the police. When it was found at the station that he was engaged, an officer was sent with him to facilitate his reaching his destination.