§ 9. Mr. O'GRADYasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been called to the existence of a society known as the British Federation for the Emancipation of Sweated Women; whether he is aware that Mr. Belcher, director of the said society, has been involved in many building speculations and has been twice bankrupt, and that he has admitted that of the £3,000 received in contributions from the charitable public £1,200 has been spent in newspaper appeals for money and much of the remainder in salaries to so-called commissioners; whether he is aware that the headquarters of the federation has been the office of certain patent medicines, of which also Mr. Belcher is the proprietor, and that the federation has been repudiated by all the organisations that have to do with questions of women's employment; and, if so, whether, having regard to all the facts of the case, he will instruct the Public Prosecutor to take action with regard to the federation?
§ Mr. McKENNANo, Sir, I had not heard of this society until my hon. Friend's question appeared on the Paper. It has not come under the notice of the Home Office or of the Metropolitan Police, but I will make inquiries.