§ MR. P. O'BRIEN (Monaghan, N.)asked the President of the Local Government Board, Whether it is a fact that Nonconformist ministers of all denominations engaged in the workhouses of England are officially described as "religious instructors," and that the ministers of the Established Church only are designated "chaplains"; whether it is a fact that in nearly all workhouses a large proportion, and in many a majority, of the inmates belong to the various Nonconformist persuasions; whether he can explain why this distinction is made; and, whether there is any valid objection to having all ministers of religion described alike?
§ THE PRESIDENT (Mr. RITCHIE) (Tower Hamlets; St. George's)The clergymen of the Church of England who are appointed as chaplains at workhouses are described as chaplains; while the ministers of religious denominations other than the Church of England who act as paid officers in workhouses in which there are chaplains are designated religious instructors. It is the case that the total number of inmates of the several religious denominations other than the Church of England in many cases constitutes a considerable proportion of the total number of the inmates of the workhouses; and I have no doubt that there are instances where the number exceeds that of the inmates who are stated to belong to the Church of England. There is, in fact, but one chaplain of the workhouse, who has certain prescribed duties in connection with the services of the Church of England, and he must necessarily be a clergyman of the Established Church. The ministers of religion who are referred to in the Question are not the chaplains of the workhouses; and it is on this ground that it has been thought 85 desirable to appoint them under the designation of religious instructors.