§ MR. T. E. ELLISI beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether he can state the number of rural parishes in which the Free Libraries Acts have been adopted?
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (Mr. RITCHIE,) Tower Hamlets, St. George'sLess than two years ago I caused a circular letter to be addressed to the clerks to the Guardians of the several Unions with the view of ascertaining whether the Free Libraries Acts had been adopted in the rural sanitary districts of those Unions. It appeared from the replies that there was no such case, and I have no information as to the Acts having since been adopted in any case in respect of a parish in a rural sanitary district.