THE MARQUESS OF WESTMEATHinquired of Her Majesty's Government, Whether it is in contemplation to introduce any Measure to give greater Security to Foot Passengers in the Streets of the Metropolis against the reckless driving of Carts and other Vehicles therein? It was high time that something should be done to prevent the numerous accidents that were daily occurring in the streets of the metropolis. In the year 1858 he brought the subject under the notice of the House; and he found that from the 1st of January, 1858, to the 1st of March, 1860, there 722 were 134 persons killed in the streets of London, and 1,827 maimed. From the 1st of January, 1862, to the 1st of May, 1863, there were 138 persons killed, and 1,497 maimed. These figures ought to have attracted the attention of the Home Secretary to the subject, with a view to finding a remedy; but, notwithstanding these Returns, the right hon. Gentleman had not paid the slightest attention to it, or had shown any disposition to do anything to prevent the recurrence of these accidents. He supposed the reason was that latterly the right hon. Baronet's attention had been called to the possible reform of the patriotic borough of Morpeth, for which the right hon. Baronet sits, and had caused him some uneasiness of mind, and also to the subject of the pole-axe, which had of late engaged so much of his attention. Now he (the Marquess of Westmeath) thought that the pole-axe might be directed to the right hon. Baronet and his borough, and no very great public inconvenience would arise. ["Oh, oh!"
§ EARL STANHOPEI appeal to your Lordships whether such language ought to be tolerated in your Lordships' House. I call the noble Marquess to order.
THE MARQUESS OF WESTMEATHsaid, he was excessively sorry if he had made use of any expression which was disrespectful to their Lordships, but he must say that in adverting to that right hon. Gentleman and his conduct in the office which he held he could not use any language too strong; while he was desirous not to make use of any language which might be contrary to the rules of their Lordships' House, he thought that the right hon. Gentleman had laid himself open to any remarks which could be made in reference to this subject. He felt very strongly on the subject, and could not pretend to give up his feelings of humanity. This was a matter which ought not to be lightly treated. See how it stood. In the year 1865 no fewer than 180 persons were killed, and 1,075 maimed. If the right hon. Gentleman had evinced the slightest disposition to take this question up, he would not have brought it under the notice of their Lordships, He would now mention what, in his judgment, would tend to alleviate the evil. When, on the previous occasion, he introduced the subject to their Lordships, he suggested that the majority of the cases which were then taking place arose from reckless boys, such 723 as butchers' boys and costermongers' boys driving vehicles. It did not appear that many persons were killed by cabs and omnibuses; and he had drawn attention to the fact, that the owners of one-horse carts, which were the chief causes of street accidents, did not affix their names on a conspicuous part of their vehicles, but on their shafts, so that, in case of an accident, the person who was to blame had a very large chance of escaping without any notice being taken of the name. In one case the driver of a cart, while trying to force his way between an omnibus and the kerbstone, knocked a man down, and the death of this poor man was the result. For that offence the driver was sentenced to only three months' imprisonment. He was of opinion that very many of those accidents and offences might be prevented if mounted policemen were employed to follow and take into custody persons driving or riding at a dangerous speed. He hoped the Government would seriously entertain the idea of changing the sex of the right hon. Gentleman the Home Secretary, which one must infer would be an improvement for the public service. ["Oh!"] The noble Marquess concluded by inquiring of Her Majesty's Government whether it is in contemplation to introduce any Measure to give greater Security to Foot Passengers in the Streets of the Metropolis against the reckless driving of Carts and other Vehicles therein?
§ EARL GRANVILLEsubmitted that it was too much to attempt to make the Government responsible for all the accidents occurring in the streets of the metropolis. He really thought that if there was any advantage in Ministerial responsibility in the present instance the attempt had been reduced to an absurdity by the noble Marquess, who, in most improper and un-Parliamentary language, had attacked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, and had been most properly called to order by the noble Earl on the cross-benches. The noble Marquess sought to make the Home Secretary responsible for accidents resulting from the very great increase in the population and the enormous increase of traffic in the streets. [The Marquess of WESTMEATH: I did not say that the Secretary of State was the cause of these accidents, but that he had not shown the slightest disposition to check the evil.] The noble Marquess had suggested that a force of mounted police should be employed; but in the only case brought for- 724 ward by him the person was killed in consequence of the police having failed to catch the driver in time. He should not offer any opinion on the remedy proposed by the noble Marquess further than to say that if mounted police were to be riding about the streets in the way suggested their movements would be likely to add very much to the existing difficulties of street traffic. It occurred to him that the noble Marquess could not have considered the practical effects of such a plan. A Bill had been introduced in the other House of Parliament for regulating the traffic of the City, and that Bill had been referred to a Committee of gentlemen competent to deal with the question. He hoped they would receive valuable suggestions, because the inquiry really was one of very considerable difficulty. It was impossible for any one to ride through the streets of London in a Hansom without witnessing providential escapes of persons who almost threw themselves under vehicles. It had been proposed to make bridges on which foot passengers could cross the roadways at a high level. He questioned very much whether persons would avail themselves of such bridges to any important extent. There was also a suggestion of subways, and these, perhaps, would be used more than bridges. A gentleman whom he had seen that morning, suggested that there should be brought into use in the streets something like the semaphore signal now used on the railways. The idea was that the speed of vehicles might be regulated by means of this signal, and that there might be an indication to vehicles to stop in order to allow foot passengers to cross. He did not know whether this was a practical suggestion; but he hoped that some means would be found to render the streets more safe for foot passengers. He believed that the greater number of the accidents did not occur in the narrow streets of the City, along which the traffic went in two lines; the great difficulty was felt in large spaces, where carriages came up rapidly from different directions, and met in points at which streets were crossed by foot passengers. The Government were of course anxious that the best means of preventing death and injury in the public thoroughfares should be adopted; and there was not the slightest foundation for the assault made on his right hon. Friend the Home Secretary by the noble Marquess who had introduced the subject.