§ MR. SUMMERSI beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether the Government will consider the advisability of introducing a Bill for the purpose of abolishing the Vice Chancellors' Courts at the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge, and of making members of these Universities and inhabitants of the City of Oxford and Borough of Cambridge exclusively amenable to, and triable by, the ordinary law and the ordinary tribunals of the land?
§ MR. W. H. SMITHA meeting has, I understand, been arranged to take place between the Vice Chancellor of the University of Cambridge and the Mayor, as representing the Town Council of that place; and both parties have agreed to a Conference on the whole question of University authority over townsmen. As regards Oxford, proceedings are governed by Act of Parliament (6 Geo. IV., c. 97, sect. 3), and all cases are heard by the Vice Chancellor in open Court, another county magistrate in almost every case being present. Evidence is taken on oath unless the defendant pleads guilty, and she is entitled to be represented by a solicitor. Under the above circumstances, Her Majesty's Government do not consider that legislation is at present necessary.