§ MR. LEAI beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been called to a case tried before Mr. Justice Darling on the 13th instant; and if he will consider the advisability of issuing regulations prohibiting performances in public that may entail danger to the lives or limbs of the performers.
§ MR. THOMPSON (Somersetshire, E.)I beg also to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been called to the case of Stamirowski v. Barber, tried on 13th March before Mr. Justice Darling and a common jury; whether the police have power to prevent such dangerous exhibitions; and, if not, whether he will bring in a Bill to extend the Children's Dangerous Performances Acts, 1874 and 1897, to adults.
§ MR. GLADSTONEMy attention has been called to the case referred to, but as it appears that the performer was over eighteen years of age (the present statutory limit for women taking part in such performances) the police could not interfere. I regret to say that I have no power to issue regulations prohibiting performances such as this, but I will consider whether it is desirable to extend the provisions of the Dangerous Performances Acts 1879 and 1897 to dangerous performances by women of any age.