§ Mr. W. THORNEasked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that in 1127W the borough of Islington during Christmas week two officials of a slate and loan club who were balancing accounts with a publican who was treasurer of the club were arrested for being on licensed premises at an unlawful hour, despite the fact that no beer was being consumed, and that these men were put to the trouble of an adjourned prosecution to prove their innocence; whether he will have the circumstances of the case thoroughly investigated and the conduct of the officer properly censured; and whether he will consider the advisability of reasonably compensating the men for the trouble they were put to, and in addition circularise the officers of the Metropolitan Police force that they are to exercise discretion with a discrimination in favour of the suspected person in all cases where it is proposed to take proceedings under the Orders of the Central Control Board (Liquor Traffic)?
§ Mr. BRACEThe proceedings in this case were taken under the Licensing (Consolidation) Act, 1910, and not under any Order of the Central Control Board. The men were found in the bar of the public-house during the hours prohibited by the Statute in circumstances which fully justified the police in taking proceedings.