§ MR. LOGAN (Leicester, Harborough)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is aware that William Bevin, Samuel Chambers, 632 William Arnold, John Arnold, S. H. Brooks, and Thomas Wood, all residing at Dunton Bassett, in the Lutterworth Union, have been summoned for non-compliance with Vaccination Orders, the summonses being signed by a Magistrate who, in his capacity of ex officio Guardian, was present at the meeting of the Poor Law Guardians of the Lutterworth Union at which enforcement of the Vaccination Act was resolved upon; and that two of the Justices who adjudicated on the summonses at Lutterworth Petty Sessions, and inflicted penalties in each case, also took part, as ex officio Guardians, in deciding that such proceedings should be instituted; and whether such proceedings are, under the circumstances, regular; and, if not, will he direct that no further steps be taken to enforce the penalties?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. ASQUITH, Fife, E.)The facts appear to be as stated in the first paragraph. The Magistrates in question had been parties to a general resolution that the law should be enforced, but not to any resolution initiating the particular proceedings upon which they adjudicated. The objection was taken at the hearing on behalf of the defendants, and was overruled by the Magistrates; but as it was stated that the case would be carried to a higher Court, and the matter is one of law, I had better express no opinion upon the point.