The Express.
London, England, 1858-03-11 00:00:00

(Stamped id. Additional.) [TWOPENCE.

INGULATION 07 TEE STIJL

TO TRH .110111-01WOi-

A numerous deputation, comprising represen-
tatives from several of the metropolitan parishes, and in-
chiding Mr. R. Banbury, M.P., Sir Ds L.liivans, M.P., Mr.
D. Nicoll, M.P., Hon. P. Bye
_Sir J. Hamilton, Bart, &c.,
waited upon Mr. Secretary Walpole yesterday by airlt-
mat, for the purpose of calm his elevation to the riu*m. of
stsest prostnalloa, breads, end night-houses, end urging
epee him the neematy et tartar steps, on the part of the go-
vernment, to mitigate the evil.
The Rev. T. C. GAIUIIII3, who headed the
stated that on the 15th at January a meeting ha=
in Si. James's, to consider the immoral condition et the
metropolis, as arising from the causes alluded to.
At that meetbrs there ware present resentativee from
alma of the principal metropolitan part.hes, viz., Chelsea,
on, Saint Giles, Bloomsbury, Saint Martin's,
, Saint Pancras, Paddington, !feint James's,
Bt. 'e Hanover-square, and St. Clement's Dana, and,
idter much discussion, resolutions were adopted ahnostenani-
✓memiy, which resolutions the deputation was now denims
of milmnittiss to the Seamary of State as suggestions.
They related to street-walking, Umbels, end night-homes,
and the importation of foreign prostitutes. These wen the
maim evils to be dealt with. The feeling of the roost*: and
the feeling of the public, he believed, was that though it
wee perhaps impossible that the evil of prostitution shwld be
entirely , yet that a stop might be put to the SONA•
&loss public exhibition of it which took place, and the de-
terioration of property and public morality which resulted
therefrom.

iii. tart' WelroLi—You had better place the moo-
hakes Teton nre, sad I wtll cosaider theme.
Mr. BIYZIAIII, the revery derk of 81. Isom* read the re-
ettl!ne. foams :

That tie present condition of the metropolis in regard to
sliest prostitution and the conduct of night-houses and that
the Mate of the criminal law as to brothels call for the im-
mediate attention of the metropolitan vestries, with a view to
the suggestion of restrictive or remedial measures.
TThhaatt the attention of the government be urgently
directed, by memorial or deputation, to the necessity of the
more stringent administration of the Police Act se to the
flagrant manifestation of prostitution in the public streets.
" That the government be also urged to obtain the im-
provement of the criminal law effecting the prosecution of
brothels and disorderly homes, by permitting the evidence
of eve householders of the vicinity and of the polies to be
considered sufficient.

That the government be urged to introduce a measure to
place under efficient control the clam of houses known aa
night-houeee,land that to that end it is advisable to license
all house of refreshment or public use keeping open beyond
reasonable he oar% not included in the present category of
lionised homs.

" That the attention of the government be directed to the
difficulty which attends giving the full effect to the 44th
clause of the Police (2 and 3 N ic., c. 47) Act, and be urged
to find a remedy for the name, either by executive or legis-
lative proper, by giving to the polioe a power of entry fate
the preemies therein specified.
" That it is the opinion of this meeting that it Is necessary
that the government should give the local authorities
to prosecute persons against whom evidence could beaddoesd
that they are the means of importing yaw thasiss kr the
P° of prostitution."
27thein proceeded to read a statement of the existing law
on the subject, embodying certain touggesUons for making it
more effectual for its objects. Under the 6 Geo. IV., cap.
53, street-walkers might be prosecuted as idle and disorderly
Mrand the police constables were anthorised to appro.
them. By the 2 & 3 Vic., cap. 47, common prostitutes,
or street-walkers, loitering in any public thoroughfare, to the
annoyance of the inhabitants or pusses by, were made liable
to a penalty of not more than 40s. or to be la
&Wilt ; and another section authoded the ponslaWes, with-
out warrant, to apprehend idle and disorderly prams.
&soh was the law ; but it was suggested that the In-
terpretation put upon it by the executive authorities
rendered it in a great degree thoperative—aid that
the laxity in carrying out the law had produced a
state of things which was disgraceful to a civilind
community. It was of the highest importance to make the
law effectual that the magistrates who had to adjudicate
should decide with uniformity. At present it was no
uncommon thing for a constable to obtain a conviction
before one maglstnata which under precisely the same
circtunstanou bolus another would ensure the disclaimed of
the case. This uncertainty led the constable often to over-
look cues which, if systematically brought up and
would tend to the suppression of the evil. II the Pprivnale!i
the police were not sufficient, they should be enl.afie..ilr.,l
the great stumbling-block in the way of the
which tended, perhaps, more than anything ea" "towards—-
I allowing the Mamie to remain a deed letter—was, that to
constitute the offence It must be proved to be an annoyance to
the inhabitants or passers-by; and, generally speaking,
people were very averse to appearing in the character of pro-
mulgators. It wu suggested that, to meet this difficulty,
the more powers should be given to the police constables
as in the cue of street mendicants. With regard to
night-houses and place" of public entertainment, which were
regulated by the statute 25 George 11., c. 36, the remedy
provided by that act was so complicated and expensive as to
render it frequently impracticable. Until 1839 gaming-houaes
came tinder the same statute, but the law which then
sed, giving summary powers of entry and conviction, had
been attended with the most salutary effect • and it was sug-
gested that a similar enactment in referenoe'to brothels would
be equally beneficial. Them some measure to check the im-
portation of foreign prostitutes, and for the prosecution of
perms who traded in female prostitution, it was suggested,
was absolutely necessary.
Mr. Secretary Watrots—But you say nothing se to
the mode of carrying this last suggestion into effect.
Mr. Bunsan—No, our aligned= is that the govern-
ment should take the matter into their emanation, and
obtain from parliament the mossitsry powers for checking
the evil. With regard to eight-houses, coffee-houses, oyster-
shops, and wine rooms, It was suggested that all houses of
public refreshment keeping open after • certain hour at night
should be licensed—that they should all he required to close
at a certain hour in the morning, and on Saturday nights at
12 o'clock, and that all such bonne should be placed under
the control of tb• polio!. It was also recommended that
the power of grantinilicenses for music and dancing should

be treamlarredufrom quarter 'Malta to the magistrates
at petty seesioas, who would have more local knowledge,
end that the parties holding such licensee should be bound to
close their houses at a reeemiehle hour.

Mr. Secretary Wairots—l shall be glad if you win for
me a oopy of those suggestions, together with the
resolutions.

Yr. Bu:shun undertook to do so.
The Rev. T. autism stated that in his parochial divi-
sion of Marylebons there was one street of 100 houses which
30 years ago was wholly inhabited by respectable penooa—
lad, and email families of independent means, who for the
most part keS their carriages, but which now contained no
lees than 60 brothels. In many other streets in the same
district the evil waa gaining ground in the rams pro
and and all attempts to check it had been unavailing. pa-
rish we. making attempt' to put • atop to the nuisance, but
the expense was enormous, each case they brought to con-
viction outing them upon the average 30i. The reduction in
the value of property consequent upon this state of things
was most alarming. Even in the magnificent street, Port-
land-place, which had been always the abode of some of the
most wealth y sndaristocratic families in the land, some of the
inhabitants bad declared lately that they could no longer live
there because of the number of street prostitutes who resorted
to it from the adjoining streets, and the exhibitions of vice
and immorality which were thus forted upon the attention of
their wives and families.

of St. James's-street, urged upon the Home
Secretary the propriety of enacting more summery powers of
dealing with uniloeneed houses, where exciseable liquors were
sold, of which there were in his (Mr. Beale.) perish a consider-
able number. With regard to the importation of foreign females
fur the purposes of prostitution, he thought the deputation
ought not to be called upon to express an opinion hastily as
to the remedy which should be applied, but that they should
be allowed to send up to the Right Hon. Secretary a fur-
ther and their views upon the subject in a letter.
Ile should be glad to hear that the government contem-
plated some measure of legislation in reference to the licensing
of night-houses. The late government, it was understood,
had intended to introduce a bill to parliament on that sub-
ject. The law as to the prosecution of brothels was, he
thought, a disgrace to the country. The perish authorities
had no power to suppress a brothel without employing some
of the filthy and dirty characters who frequented such places
to prove that the house was used for immoral purposes. It
was suggested that the evidanoe of four or live householder '
that the place was notoriously used as a brothel should be
sufficient to canes a oanviction. With regard to the foreign
prostitutes who frequented the Haymarket, and ether streets
of the west-end, he believed the existing law was strong
enough to del with that nuisance, which wee a &pool
to the country—if the police would put it in force.
The Hon. F. Betio believed the great root of all the other
evils which had been referred to wee the night-houses, the
prostitution carried on therein being, as he was informed,
almost incredible in Its extent. While admitting that the
open exhibition of prostitution by &nage prostitutes to the
streets called for interference, he doubted whether thus was
any actual molestation of passerby. He was about town as
mach as most men, and at all hours, and could say from his
own experience that the annoyance from open solicitation
were touch lees than I. former times. The only senctyru s
now of that kind was from the feeelgn prostitutes, who, if
they thought the peer-by understood their language, would
perhaps speak to bin; but, as compared with 30 year ago,
the prostitutes of Louden, in conduct, in order, and in dress,
bad much improved.
The Rev. W. Beatles (of St. Jams's) Mined from the
last speaker : he had been ultra spoken to sad annoyed ►y
prostitutes, and la that part of fit. James's with which be
was acquainted the open sabiblibta ofprusdhaas was going
en In the streets era by daylight. This did not take pleas
some years ago. In Interreed-abrest and Hing-street the
surisnees al *woks prostitutes was stasseirs.

Mr. D. Meru, mosidered that Mr. Hardy's bill of last
yrr would hare afforded an efficiest remedy se regarded the
ditki-hoagie and be !toped it would be re-introduced. The
Ponce maraines7 wee, es it appeared to him, inadequate to
meet the other evils epolor of. What was necessary was a
local Wk.,— for lon] protection, and responsible to load
authority. If such a foroe existed, it would be valuable
in many respects, both as regarded the berth sad morality
lof the dlstrio_t. At present the police might he hind (se wee
the ere at the Argyll Rooms) to attend as doorkeepers at
of hare!
I these night-rotrt house
those wbo s, acting se dery-ducks, sad giving a sort
pion to frequented these pkior.
He complained of the power given to the magistrates at
quarter emirs when the brewing and distilling indoors
prevailed to • great eater—to reverse the declaims of the
°Leerat petty serious when licences were refused.
IMILTON denied that the decides' of the
trate, at quarter sessioes were in any way initheneedi7
brier( or distilling inductees.
Mr. ssonetry WALPOLI said his object was to get at the
facts of the case. Thies had been well brought out
both in the resolutions and the statement of the condition
of the law whrth had bees reed to hint • and if the
deputation would lay those papers berm iiimz.Lis would
aside, then, and—with every desire to put those
caboose which ware others to all well-oenstrtuted arida—if
it were in the power of the law to put theta down he should
be most happy to take the necessary steps for that
He had taker mesas to procure certain returns wbioh would
enable him to form a more correct 'ertgreent as to the state of
the law, Its powers, sad its d for meeting these
evils ; end, without giving any positive pledge as to the course
he might ultimately think it right to pursue, he promised to
give to the subject his beet attentioe.
that wit
The dephdrew.utation, having thanked the right hoe. gentleman,