§ Mr. JOWETTasked the Home Secretary if he had read the report, sent to him by the Member for West Bradford, 1585 of a case tried at Bingley, Yorkshire, which stated that a teamster employed by Mr. Henry North, of Bradford, was fined for being asleep in charge of horses and a waggon, when he had been on the road for twenty-six and a half hours; and if, having regard to the opinion of the magistrates expressed in court that the owners of the horses are more to blame than the drivers in these cases, he would now deal with this matter by legislation or otherwise?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLYes, I have read the report which the hon. Member has been good enough to send me, and which the inquiries I have made show to be substantially correct. I entirely agree with the opinion expressed by the magistrates, and think it desirable that there should be power to deal with the employer instead of the driver in such cases; but as regards the question of legislation, I am afraid I can add nothing to the answer which I gave to the hon. Member on the 11th instant.