§ 20. Mr. GROVESasked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that a man, while attending the Stratford Employment Exchange on 22nd May, was arrested by an officer in plain clothes on the ground that the numbers of his bicycle were not decipherable; that the man told the police officer he had owned the cycle for over four years; that he was requested to accompany the police officer to West Ham police station, where he was detained for two hours, and asked to sign a statement that he would appear at the station on Wednesday next or find a security of £5; why this man's bicycle was detained, although the police had evidence that he had lived in the neighbourhood for 40 years and was well known as a dock labourer; and whether he will ensure that this man's cycle is restored to him and compensation paid for any loss sustained?
§ Sir J. SIMONI have obtained reports on this case from the Commissioner of Police, and am satisfied that the police had prima facie ground for the action they took; they have had many complaints of stolen cycles in Stratford, but I am glad to say that the police inquiry showed that this was not one of them. The man concerned was at the police station for just over an hour; his cycle was restored to him on 26th instant, an apology has been tendered to him for the inconvenience to which he was put, and he will be refunded such fares as he had to pay in seeking work while he was without his cycle.