§ MR. FERRANDsaid, he rose to ask the President of the Poor Law Board, Whether it is true that serious charges have been made against the Master of the Belton School in the Wycombe Union; whether the Poor Law Board do not intend to prosecute him, but have allowed him to escape; whether he would lay upon the table of the House all Correspondence between the Board and the Guardians of the Wycombe Union on the subject, and any other papers that relate thereto, and what steps the Poor Law Board intend to take in the matter?
§ MR. C. P. VILLIERSsaid, in reply, that it was true that serious charges had been made against the Master of the Belton School. He had been charged with undue severity against a boy, and there was a charge of indecency to the girls. As soon as it was known at the Poor Law Board an Inspector was sent down to inquire into the matter. The Master at once admitted his fault, and tendered his resignation, which the Inspector accepted, as he was obliged to do, and handed it over to the Guardians. It rested with the Guardians, and not with the Poor Law Board, to prosecute the Master if they thought fit, and nothing which had taken place would prejudice them in doing so. The Poor Law Board, as such, had no authority to prosecute. The Correspondence, with the Report of the Inspector, might, if required, be laid on the table of the House.