§ (3) The regulations may provide for the trial by courts of summary jurisdiction of persons guilty of offences against the regulations; so, however, that the maximum penalty which may be inflicted shall be imprisonment with or without hard labour for a term of three months, or a fine of one hundred pounds, or both such imprisonment and fine, together with the forfeiture of any goods or money in respect of which the offence has been committed.
§ Lords Amendment:
§ In Sub-section (3), after the word "inflicted," insert "for any offence against any such regulations."
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for the HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. Shortt)I beg to move "That this House doth agree with the Lords in the said Amendment."
It only does what is, I think, manifest on the face of the Bill, and the result of the insertion of these words is that it makes clear what I should say was clear in the Bill before—but it may not have been so—that no matter what is the offence, the maximum penalty shall be that set forth in the sub-section. That is the intention, and therefore the worst that can be said against the Amendment would be that it is surplus.
§ Question put, and agreed to.
§ Lords Amendment:
§
In Sub-section (3), at end, insert:
Provided that no such regulations shall alter any existing procedure in criminal cases or confer any right to punish by fine or imprisonment without trial.
§ Mr. SHORTTI beg to move, "That this House doth agree with the Lords in the said Amendment."
There is no intention whatever to alter the existing procedure in Criminal cases, 2118 and I think it is just as well that it should be made clear in the Bill.
Mr. TYSON WILSONI do not differ at all from what the Home Secretary has said; but, at the same time, I believe this is a valuable Amendment. At any rate, it will make the Bill more clear than it was when it left this House, and the two Amendments inserted in the Lords are to a very large extent a justification of the argument put forward from this side of the House in favour of more time to consider the Bill. We must acknowledge that in the House of Lords there are gentlemen who understand the law to some extent, if not to the same extent as in this House. Therefore, we welcome the Amendments inserted in the Lords.
§ Mr. W. THORNESaved by the House of Lords!
§ Question put, and agreed to.