§ MR. A. C. MORTON (Peterborough)I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether his attention has been called to the conduct of the Vicar of Hough-on-the-Hill, near Grantham, who, at a parish meeting at the end of last month, held to appoint a committee for technical education purposes, endeavoured to eject a parishioner who had been elected to take the chair, called in a constable for that purpose, and, on the constable refusing to interfere, extinguished all the lights in the room; and whether the Vicar of a parish has any right to insist on taking the chair at a meeting such as referred to, it not being a Vestry meeting?
SIR W. FOSTERThe Local Government Board have no jurisdiction whatever with regard to the matter referred to in this question. The Board, however, have made inquiry of the Vicar, who informs them that he did not endeavour to eject a parishioner who had been elected to take the chair; that he did not call in a constable for the purpose; that neither he nor anyone else extinguished the lights in the room, and that he did not assume the chair as Vicar, but on the request of the parishioners present when the meeting began.
§ MR. A. C. MORTONAm I to understand the Vicar had no right to claim to take the chair at this meeting?
SIR W. FOSTERI infer from the statement of the Vicar he did not take the chair as Vicar; he only did so at the request of certain parishioners. It does not appear that he was officially entitled to take the chair.