HC Deb 11 December 1919 vol 122 cc1766-7

Section four of the County and Borough Police Act, 1859 (which relates to penalties for resignation or withdrawal from duty of police without notice), shall have effect, and shall, as from the first day of April, nineteen hundred and nineteen, be deemed to have had effect as if for the word "forfeited" there were substituted the words "liable to be forfeited.

Motion made, and Question proposed, "That the Clause stand part of the Bill."

Captain W. BENN

I hope we shall have some explanation of this Clause. It appears to be retrospective in its action.

Major BAIRD

The Bill is very simple. Under the Act of 1859 if a man resigns or withdraws himself from duty without leave or the notice required, he has to forfeit any claim to pay which he has earned but as not received. This Bill makes it possible for certain boroughs and counties to pay over to men who have so resigned or withdrawn from duty any such outstanding pay. It is brought in specially to meet a few isolated cases.

Captain BENN

I am obliged to the hon. Gentleman for the explanation. I take it the Bill has reference to cases of disputes with the police which took place recently.

Question put, and agreed to.

Bill reported without Amendment; read the third time, and passed.