33. Mr. FRED HALL (Dulwich)asked the Home Secretary whether he has official information to the effect that efforts are being made by master lightermen to resume work; if they have asked that protection may be afforded to enable them to do so; and what steps are being taken in the matter?
§ Mr. McKENNAThe answer to the first two questions is in the affirmative; to the third that adequate arrangements have been made for giving them police protection.
§ Mr. McKENNAA detailed answer to the question would be rather long, but when the House is informed that there are 10,000 men at work it is obvious that sufficient protection is being given.
34. Mr. FRED HALL (Dulwich)asked the Home Secretary whether he will state in how many cases Metropolitan Police have been sent to the provinces in connection with labour disputes during the last two years; and whether in all such cases inquiries have first been made to ensure that the need for additional protection has not arisen from provocative action on the part of employers?
§ Mr. McKENNADuring the past two years Metropolitan Police have been sent in four cases to the provinces to assist the local police in maintaining order during labour disputes, namely, South Wales, Hull, Salford, and Cardiff. This was done on the application in each case of the local authority, and at a time when there were no labour troubles involving special urgency for the services of the police in London. The answer to the second part of the question is in the negative.
§ 36. Mr. SANDERSONasked the Home Secretary whether he has any official information showing that Patrick Sullivan, on 13th June, having proceeded to Tilbury for the purpose of seeking work, was seriously assaulted by a large body of men in the street and had his head cut open by a cudgel in the presence of some, police; if so, will he say why they did not interfere; whether he has been officially informed that subsequently in the day the said Patrick Sullivan was not allowed to proceed along the highway for the purpose of seeking lodging without a passport from the strikers' secretary; and whether any steps are being taken to prevent the recurrence of such incidents?
§ Mr. McKENNAI have received a report from the superintendent of police at Grays. He has made careful inquiry, but can find no one, constable or other, who witnessed the assault, and the statement that Sullivan visited a chemist to have his head patched up appears to be incorrect. The statement as to the so-called passport appears to be accurate. I understand that the Essex Police, who have been strongly reinforced by men from other forces, are doing their utmost to maintain order, and that things are now much quieter at Grays and Tilbury.
§ Mr. HARRY LAWSONI beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department a question of which I have given him private notice, namely, whether his attention has been called to the cases of terrible brutalities inflicted by strikers upon men working and willing to work in the docks; now under course of treatment at Poplar Hospital and other hospitals in the East End of London, and what further steps he proposes to take to protect life and limb from these shocking outrages?
§ Mr. McKENNAI am making inquiries as to the cases in Poplar Hospital referred to in the question. As soon as I have a report, if the hon. Gentleman will be so 1833 good as to put a question on the Paper I will give him all the information in my power.
§ Mr. HARRY LAWSONIf the report proves that these outrages are taking place daily, and almost hourly, will the right hon. Gentleman consider the advisability of relieving the police so that they may perform their ordinary duties of patrolling the back streets, and using the London garrison for the convoy of provisions?
§ Mr. McKENNAI would rather have notice of a question such as that, but the assumption underlying the hon. Member's question is that in fact a large number of disturbances and assaults are now taking place in places in London. According to the reports which I receive daily it appears that there is no considerable increase in the total number of assaults of that kind which ordinarily take place.
§ Lord ROBERT CECILMay I ask whether the information to which the right hon. Gentleman refers is based merely on those cases which are reported to him by the police as having been interfered with or dealt with in any way by the police; and whether he has any information as to those cases where the whole point is that the police have not been able to deal with them?
§ Mr. McKENNAI stated in my answer the information to which I was referring was the daily reports of the police. I am referring not merely to cases in which the prosecutions are undertaken, but to cases in which complaint is made. If no complaint is made to the police it is quite obvious immediate knowledge on the point will not be brought to me.
§ Mr. BONAR LAWIf the right hon. Gentleman does find these victims are in the hospital, will he not undertake to see that steps are taken to prevent the recurrence of such assaults?
§ Mr. McKENNAI understand the number of victims at Poplar Hospital is six. I do not think the fact that six persons are suffering from various injuries, and which in the case of one or two are slight, would be a sufficient reason for asking soldiers to do the work of the police.
§ Mr. CROOKSIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that they receive in Poplar Hospital in the ordinary way under ordinary circumstances something like thirty persons per day?
§ Mr. McKENNAThe figures received in Poplar Hospital are, I understand, large.
§ Sir FREDERICK BANBURYMay I ask if, pending the results of this inquiry, he will take steps to prevent any more people being sent to Poplar Hospital?
§ Mr. McKENNANo, Sir. I should be extremely sorry to see the door of the hospital closed.
§ Sir F. BANBURYWill the right hon. Gentleman, pending the inquiry, take steps to prevent innocent people being brutally ill-used by men who are on strike or from other reasons are apt to ill-treat their fellow subjects?
§ Mr. McKENNAYes, I understand the number of charges of assault which take place daily in London is something like eighty. The police do their utmost at all times to prevent those assaults taking place. It is impossible for any Home Secretary to undertake that no further assaults shall take place.