§ MR. FLAVINI beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware that complaints have been made by the public owing to the way they are being defrauded out of their money by penny-in-the-slot machines, and that two such machines, numbered respectively 17 and 84, are at present placed within the Victoria Station on the South Eastern and Chatham Railway; and whether, owing to the fact that those two machines are receiving money and at the same time giving nothing in return to the people who contribute their pennies, some steps will be taken to prevent any further defrauding of the general public.
§ *THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT (Sir M. WHITE RIDLEY,) Lancashire, BlackpoolI am not aware of any complaints, and I can only suggest that the hon. Member, or anyone else who has been defrauded in the way suggested should bring an action in the County Court to recover the pennies. I am not aware that there is any evidence of a criminal offence, or that any steps could be taken by the police.
§ MR. FLAVINCan the right hon. Gentleman say whether inquiry was made into the facts stated in the question, as to the public being actually defrauded?
§ *SIR M. WHITE RIDLEYI made some inquiries, and elicited from the policeman who went to look at the machines that one was so much out of order that it returned his height at 5ft. 1in. instead of 5ft. l0in.