§ Commons Amendment considered (according to order.)
THE EARL OF MEATH, in moving "That this House do agree with the Commons Amendment," said that the Amendment was only of a verbal character, and did not alter the principle of the measure.
§ THE EARL OF WEMYSSAt almost the final stage of this Bill I wish to draw your Lordships' attention to the very stringent character of the measure. It provides that any person exhibiting a picture of an indecent nature in a shop shall be liable to be convicted by a Court of Summary Jurisdiction. The fifth clause empowers any policeman to arrest any person whom he may find to be committing an offence against this Act. Therefore, it would seem that any prudish policeman who sees in a shop window a photograph of the statue of the Venus de Medici may arrest the shopkeeper. In the Bill there is no defi- 1783 nition whatever of the word "indecent," and I think it right to protest against such stringent legislation.
§ On Question, resolved in the affirmative.
§ Commons Amendment agreed to.