The Sun.
London, England, 1869-02-11 00:00:00

POLICE .INTELLIGENCE—This Day.

MARLBOROUGH-STREET.
LOAN SOCIETIES.—The following letter has been re-
ceived by the magistrates at at this court :--
"Friendly Societies Office,
28, Abingdon-street, S. VV.
"Dear Sirs,--I wish to call your attention to the opera-
tion and working of the Loan Societies Act, 3 and 4 Vict.,
c. 110, under which I am obliged to certify the rules of
loan societies.

"Those societies are generally got up by a publican, at
whose house they aro held, with a scamp who is appointed
secretary. Iconsider these societies as perfect swindles,
and from the daily complaints made to me by members,
their widows and children, I a.n sure that it would be
very desirable to repeal the Act which authorises them to
be established. It is my intend= to apply to the Govern-
ment to repeal the Act of Parliament, so as to abolish the
establishment of these societies.

" May I ask you, therefore, to say whether
from observation in cases come before you you will agree
with me as to the mischief arising from their establish-
ment.—Yours faithfully, J._TIDD PRATT."
Mr. Tyrwhitt said that he quite concurred with Mr.
Tidd Pratr, and had had plenty of experience of the evils
of these societies, there being frequent complaints made of
them at that court.

Mr. Knox said be cordially concurred with the contents
of Mr. Tidd Pratt's letter, and had abundant proofs before
him, and more especially so of late, of the mischief and
misery caused to persons who had anything to do with
such societies.

TILE FLOWER CiIRLS AND THE OXFORD-STREET TRADES-
MEN.—Four women, named Jane Gough, Amelia Curtis,
Ann Curtis, and Hannah Tobin wore charged before Mr.
Knox with causing an obstruction in Oxford-street by sell-
ing flowers.

The evidence of Tyler, 65 C, and Smith, 63 C, was to
tho effect that they saw the prisoners yesterday, with
several others, selling flowers on the pavement in Oxford-
street, running after ladies and gentlemen, entering shops,
and causing a great obstruction with their baskets of
flowers.

Mr. Ware, of 232, Oxford-street, said that there wore
generally five or six flower women on the kerb in front of
his shop all day, and through the annoyance persons re-
ceived from being importuned iu all directions, customers
were driven from his shop. He had warned the women
time after time, but to no purpose, they took possession of
the frontage of his shop, and as soon as respectable per-
sons came up they were surrounded and pestered by the
women.

Mr. Knox said he sympathised with Mr. War?, as he
had no doubt that what be complained of was a shocking
nuisance ; at the same time it was a most unpleasant
thing to deal with the prisoners.
The constable said some of the prisoners had been at the
court before for causing an obstruction at the same place.
Mr. Knox said Mr. Ware was entitled to the protection
of the law, at the same time it revolted against one's feel-
ings to punish such girls.
Mr. Ware said he would not mind if the women would
disperse themselves, but they stood before his shop six or
seven at a time, and no respectable person could enter in
consequence of the annoyance received. He did not wish
to be hard with the prisoners, it was with the greatest
toluctance he appeared against them, and he had no wish
to prevent them getting a living.
Mr. Knox said ho was grieved to do anything to the
prisoners, and if there had been anything short of a down-
right nuisance ho would have been loth to punish them ;
but Mr. Ware was entitled to protection at his hands.
Tobin would have to pay 55., or seven days, and the others
1.05., or seven days, and if Mr. Ware suffered any further
annoyance and came to the Court, he (Mr. Knox) would
see what could be done.