§ MR. MELLYasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether he has any objection to authorize the District Registrars in Boroughs, when taking the Census, to supply the School Boards of such boroughs with the gross totals of children between certain specified ages, to be fixed by the Education Department; such totals to be extracted from the Census Papers (before they are forwarded to London) at the expense, in each case, of the School Board of the Borough?
MR. BRUCESir, I have received a great many communications on this subject, and I am bound to say that of the different suggestions that of my hon. Friend is the most practicable. I have been in communication with the Registrar General on the subject, who has raised difficulties, as it was his duty to do, to any proposal which might have the effect of interfering with the efficient discharge of the important and complicated duty of collecting the Census Returns. But I am authorized to say that even if arrangements cannot be made—on which point I now give no certain opinion—to give effect to my hon. Friend's wishes, this can be promised—namely, that the required information shall be furnished to such boards as desire it in the month of June or July, and I am told that that time will be early enough.