MR. CATHCART WASONI beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in view of the fact that it is the 981 habit of the police, in accordance with instructions given them, to warn such offenders as are evidently breaking the law through want of knowledge, he will consider the desirability of instructing the police to warn offending drivers of motors should the offence be not sufficiently grave to warrant a prosecution.
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. AKERS-DOUGLAS,) Kent, St. Augustine'sI fear I am not prepared either to accept the general proposition as to police warnings which the hon. Member suggests, or to I give the police any further instructions as to warning the drivers of motor-cars. A constable's duty is to stop cars whose drivers are breaking the law, and to warn the drivers that they will be reported. The constable then reports the case to the higher police authorities, and it is they who decide, upon the facts reported, whether proceedings shall be taken against the offenders. The fact that the driver has been called on to stop and told that he will be reported, ought to be sufficient warning in most of the cases where a prosecution is not considered necessary.