§ MR. BYLESI beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the investigations of the Commissioners of Police, to whom the subject of "Limerick" competitions was referred by the late Attorney-General, have led to any results; and whether it is now found that the prizes are chosen haphazard, and that the so-called competition is a lottery within the statute and a fraud upon the competitors, to whom it is represented that the discrimination will be exercised upon a basis of comparative merit.
§ MR. HERBERT SAMUELThe Commissioner of Police has for some time been giving his attention to the question of these competitions, but he is advised that proceedings cannot be taken against the promoters with any hope of success under the Lottery Acts; and, where fraud has been suspected, the police, who have not access to the offices where the competitions are conducted, have been unable to obtain the evidence which would be necessary for a prosecution. The whole question of these and similar newspaper competitions is, however, receiving the careful consideration of the Government.