MR. LYGONsaid, he wished to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what arrangements has been made by the Police for the preservation of order at St. George's Church on Sunday next. He put this question because Sunday was now near at hand, and from all the information he could collect, there appeared to be a want of harmony between the Police and the Rector and the Churchwardens on former occasions. He thought it would tend to the preservation of order if the Rector were informed by the police what the law was, and how far they intended to aid him in carrying it out. For want of a common understanding, the Police seemed to have gone one way, and the Rector and Churchwardens another; whereas, if there was a previous understanding, the danger of a collision might be avoided.
SIR GEORGE LEWISsaid, the Government would undertake a very difficult task if they were to make themselves responsible for maintaining a good understanding between the rector of St. George's-in-the-East, and either the churchwardens, the police, or any portion of his parishioners. It was the business of the police, and of those who instructed them, to take measures for the maintenance of the public peace during the celebration of Divine service in the church. He must say, however, that he did not consider it to be one of the ordinary duties of the police to mount guard during the performance of Divine service in any church. If such a state of things were to become common, it would be necessary that there should be a change in the law, so as to make it somewhat analogous to that which existed in 2166 Ireland, by which, when a district was disturbed, it was possible to impose a fine upon it for the maintenance of an addiditional body of police. In answer to the question, all he had to say was, that such instructions had been given to the police as would, he hoped, prevent any disturbance which might be offensive to public decorum during the performance of Divine service.