§ MR. SEELYasked Mr. Attorney General, Whether his attention has been called to a letter written by the Bishop of Lincoln to the Vicar of Sutton-in-Ashfield, from which it appears that the Vicar had announced his "intention of allowing the churchyard of that parish to be used for other services than those of the Church of England;" and in which letter the Bishop warns the Vicar that by acting upon this intention he will render himself liable to legal proceedings; and, whether, in his opinion, the incumbent of a parish who permits the burial of Nonconformists by Nonconformist ministers, with "other services than those of the Church of England," does so render himself liable to legal proceedings?
THE ATTORNEY GENERALSir, my attention has been drawn to the letter alluded to in the Question of the hon. Member for Lincoln. In my opinion, the incumbent of a parish who permits the burial of Nonconformists by Nonconformist ministers with other services than those of the Church of England renders himself liable to be proceeded against under an Act which was recently passed by Parliament, the provisions of which will doubtless be in the recollection of the hon. Member—I mean the Public Worship Regulation Act, 1874.