§ THE EARL OF STRAFFORD, in rising to call attention to recent proposals for the better inspection of theatres and other places of amusement in the Metropolis, and to put a Question on the subject, said, that as there were 50 theatres, 473 music halls, and 35 concert and other halls in London, in which a capital of £4,000,000 was invested, he thought that all would agree that adequate supervision over them was necessary. In the early part of the present Session 1666 the Metropolitan Board of Works brought in a Bill asking for further powers with regard to the inspection of such places of amusement, but that Bill was rejected by 115 to 17 votes. Afterwards the hon. Member for the Uxbridge Division of Middlesex (Mr. Dixon Hartland), who had also introduced a bill on this subject, attended at the Home Office with a deputation in which many members of the theatrical profession took part. The proposal of that deputation was that the Home Office should undertake a proper official inspection of theatres and music halls in the Metropolis, and he had been informed by the hon. Member for the Uxbridge Division that the Government more or less promised, if he did not persevere with his Bill, that they would introduce a measure on the subject. He now wished to be informed whether Her Majesty's Government were going to bring forward such a Bill; whether they would give the hon. Member for the Uxbridge Division of Middlesex facilities for proceeding with his Bill; and whether they thought it advisable that the inspection of theatres and other places of amusement in the Metropolis should be postponed until they could be placed under the new County Council?
§ EARL BROWNLOWsaid, that the question raised by the noble Earl was undoubtedly a very difficult and complicated one, because the machinery for the inspection of theatres was under several over-lapping and occasionally conflicting jurisdictions. The responsibility for their regulation was divided between the Lord Chamberlain, the Justices, the Metropolitan Board of Works, and the Secretary of State for the Home Department, and no doubt it was advisable that the various powers now exercised by those different authorities should be concentrated. The present state of affairs was most unsatisfactory, and some change would have to be made. The noble Earl had referred to two Bills on this subject—one which had been introduced by the Metropolitan Board of Works had been thrown out on its second reading, and another Bill, which was now in the other House, was awaiting consideration. The principle of the latter Bill was to throw the work of supervision on the Secretary of State for the Home Department. They were aware, however, that great changes were contemplated in Local 1667 Authorities, which, if constituted with great powers and the confidence of the people, might be asked to undertake the duty. He very much doubted whether it would he desirable to at once throw the duty upon them. At the same time, he could not help feeling with Her Majesty's Government that the time might come, and before very long, when it would be desirable that these Local Authorities should undertake the duty of supervising and regulating theatres.