§ MR. BRADLAUGH (Northampton)asked the President of the Local Government Board, Whether, on November 22, at the Hammersmith Police Court, on the hearing of a summons against one Meyer, for an alleged offence under the Vaccination Law, Mr. Paget, the sitting magistrate, refused to allow J. W. Proudman to appear for the defendant, on the ground that Mr. Proudman was not a solicitor, though Mr. Proudman was stated to be a person authorized by Meyer to appear for him on such hearing?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE (Mr. MATTHEWS) (Birmingham, E)I am informed by the magistrate that the defendant appeared in person to answer the summons, and the magistrate heard all that he had to urge in his own behalf. The defendant did not desire to call the other person, who was present as a witness, and the magistrate refused to allow him to interfere in the case. The magistrate seems to me to have acted rightly under the circumstances.