§ SIR ROBERT CUNLIFFEasked the President of the Local Government Board, Whether he is aware that, notwithstanding that both the Burial Board and the vestry of the parish of Rhos, Denbighshire, had resolved that no part of the cemetery provided for the parish should be consecrated, one half of such cemetery was, on the 24th of April, at the instance of the vicar, and without the authority or knowledge of the Burial Board, consecrated by the Bishop of St. Asaph, who was also kept in ignorance of the facts of the case; and, whether he will lay before Parliament a Copy of any Correspondence which may have passed on the subject between him and the vicar or other parties, together with a Copy of the sentence or deed of consecration executed by the Bishop on the occasion of such consecration, as well as take other steps to ascertain the legality of such proceedings, and to prevent their recurrence elsewhere?
§ MR. BRODRICKsaid, that before that Question was answered, he should like to ask, Whether it was not a fact that on the 18th of July last the Burial Board in question passed a resolution for the consecration of a portion of the ground?
§ MR. STANLEY LEIGHTONsaid, he also had a Question to ask, of which he had given private Notice—namely, Whether a Burial Board, formed under the 16 & 16 Vict. c. 85, and the 16 & 17 Vict. c. 134, for the purpose of providing a burial-ground for the parish, was not acting illegally in passing a resolution that no portion of the ground should be consecrated; and whether a bare majority of the Burial Board of the parish of Rhos Llanerchrugog had not committed this illegality; and what stops he would take to prevent similar parochial infringements of the Statute Law in the future?
§ SIR CHARLES W. DILKEA Board does not necessarily commit an illegal act by passing a resolution beyond its powers. I must answer the Question of the hon. Member for West Surrey (Mr. Brodrick) in the affirmative. With regard to the Question on the Paper, the resolution referred to does not appear to have been made known to my right hon. and learned Friend. Application was made by the Vicar, who is Chairman of the Burial Board, for the sanction of the Secretary of State to the division into equal portions—consecrated and unconsecrated. The Vicar added that this proportion had been approved by a resolution of the Board passed on the 18th of last July. The sanction of the Secretary of State was given on the 31st of August last. My right hon. and learned Friend is not aware that any useful purpose would be served by laying the Correspondence on the Table—especially as he is advised that the obligation to divide into consecrated and unconsecrated portions imposed by 16 & 17 Vict. c. 134, still continues.