§ MR. CHAMBERLAINasked the Vice President of the Council, Whether his attention has been called to the case of the Reverend George Burgess, Baptist Minister, of Monks Risborough, Bucks; whether it is true that Mr. Burgess' application for the admission of his child, aged six years, to the only Public Elementary School in the parish was refused on the 7th January 1878, on the ground that he had not previously obtained a certificate of admission from the Reverend Thomas Evetts, Rector of the said parish; and, whether, having regard to section 4 of "The Elementary Education Act, 1876," which makes the parent of every child liable in penalties unless he causes such child to receive efficient elementary instruction, it is lawful for the managers of a Public Elementary School to refuse admission on the grounds named, and thereby to interpose obstacles in the way of parents desirous of obeying the Law?
§ VISCOUNT SANDONA letter was received recently from Monk's Risborough, conveying to us a complaint in somewhat similar terms to those in the hon. Gentleman's Question; it was sent, in accordance with the usage of the Department in all such cases, to the manager of the school against which the complaint was made, for his remarks and explanations. We have not yet received a reply; and till that reply is received I can, of course, express no opinion on the matter.