§ Sir T. BENNETTasked the Home Secretary if his attention has been called to frequent complaints of the delinquencies of gangs of gypsies, especially in the south-eastern counties, involving loss to farmers, damages to allotments, and theft of the produce grown thereon; whether he is aware that branches of the National Farmers' Union in other parts of England have passed resolutions complaining of the nuisance; and whether, seeing that the police are unable to protect the public against the depredations of these people, he will consider the advisability of introducing legislation for the accomplishment of that purpose?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANComplaints have been received from time to time about damage done by gypsies, but none very recently. The question is a very old one which has been often considered, but none of the proposals which have been made for dealing with it by fresh legislation have been free from objection or difficulty. No fresh facts have been brought to my notice which call for reconsideration of the question at the present time.