HC Deb 19 July 1912 vol 41 cc662-3
33. Mr. LANSBURY

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has received a letter from the Transport Workers' Federation, calling his attention to the insulting and obscene behaviour of certain strike breakers at Tilbury and other docks; and whether he has called for or received any report from the police on the subject?

The SECRETARY of STATE for the HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. McKenna)

I received the letter referred to, and I am making inquiry of the police with regard to the statements it contains. I may say that about a fortnight ago the Essex police reported to me that they had received complaints of misconduct by men in the trains passing Grays, and that they were taking steps to prevent a recurrence of such misconduct, though they were hampered by the difficulty of identifying men who committed the offences while the train was in rapid motion.

Mr. LANSBURY

Is it the fact the police have now stopped a train and annexed a large number of pistols that were in the possession of these men?

Mr. McKENNA

No such information has reached me, but I will inquire.