§ MR. HANDEL COSSHAM (Bristol, E.)asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether his attention has been called to a leading article in The Echo of the 15th of March, in which it is stated that, at Harewood and Dunkeswick, in Yorkshire, the Wesleyan Methodists are not allowed by the Earl of Harewood to hold their Service during Church hours; are not allowed to administer the Sacraments; and are not allowed to hold a Sunday School; whether such conditions are consistent with the terms of the Toleration Act and the religious rights of Nonconformists; and, whether the Government see their way to take any steps to secure religious liberty in the villages named?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE (Mr. MATTHEWS) (Birmingham, E.)I am informed by the Earl of Harewood that the Wesleyan Chapel at Harewood is hold at a nominal rent under an agreement, dating more than 70 years back, subject to the conditions described in the Question. There never has been a Wesleyan Chapel at Dunkeswick; and I am informed that the present arrangement, by which meetings are held by leave of the farmers or householders, is considered sufficient by the Wesleyan inhabitants of that parish. I cannot give an opinion as to the legal validity of the agreement under which the chapel at Harewood is held; but the Earl of Harewood thinks the questions which have arisen can be satisfactorily settled between him and his neighbours on the spot, and he is communicating directly with them for that purpose, so that I hope all cause of complaint may be removed.
§ MR. HANDEL COSSHAMasked, if the right hon. Gentleman had seen the correspondence between the President of the Wesleyan Conference and the Earl of Harewood, in which, the Conference having called attention to certain facts, the Earl of Harewood simply acknowledged the receipt of the letter?
§ MR. MATTHEWScould not say that he had seen the correspondence. He was under the impression that a newspaper had been sent him which contained some correspondence in it.