Clause 4.—(STOPPING UP OF STREETS, ETC.) (Hansard, 28 February 1949)

§ Mr. Barnes

I beg to move, in page 6, line 38, at the end, to add: (9) The powers conferred by Section fifty-two of the Metropolitan Police Act, 1839, and Section twenty-two of the City of London Police Act, 1839, on the commissioners of the metropolitan police and the City police to make regulations for routes to be observed and for preventing obstruction shall be exercisable as respects any part of the period for which the exhibition is open, and not only as respects times of public processions, public rejoicings or illuminations. This Amendment will make a new subsection (9). I understand that the Home Office now considers that the last sentence of the Amendment as it appears on the Paper, in the following terms, is not necessary: and so much of the said Section twenty-two as requires the consent of the court of mayor and aldermen to the exercise of the powers thereby conferred shall not apply as respects that period. It concerns the City of London Corporation. Therefore, the Amendment which I am moving will end with the words "or illuminations." I understand that the Home Office and the Metropolitan and City of London Commissioners of Police have doubts whether their powers will enable them to regulate traffic for the length of the period for which the Exhibition will run. Apparently the powers conferred by the Metropolitan Police Act and the London Police Act, 1839, deal largely with processions and illuminations, and with regulation of crowds and population in exceptional circumstances for limited periods. The Exhibition will run for quite a period. We are in some doubt whether the Acts of 1839 give sufficient powers. The new Subsection is moved at the request of those authorities to place the matter beyond doubt.