§ MR. ATHERLEY-JONES (Durham, N.W.)I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether the Law Officers of the Crown have given any opinion as to whether reception into a Poor Law infirmary causes loss of electoral franchise; whether such loss can by any means be obviated by the Guardians making a charge for maintenance; and if the Law Officers have not given any opinion, whether, having regard to the conflicting decisions of Revising Barristers, the Local Government Board will take their opinion?
§ MR. H. H. FOWLERThe Law Officers have not, so far as the Local Government Board are aware, advised on the question whether the provisions of the Medical Relief Disqualification Removal Act, 1885, extend to reception into a Poor Law infirmary. The question raised is a legal one, and if there are conflicting decisions of Revising Barristers it can only be settled by the High Court.
§ MR. ATHERLEY-JONESWould it not be possible for the Local Government Board to issue a direction to Guardians—assuming the law is in this uncertain state—whereby practically the result objected to might be obviated?
§ * MR. H. H. FOWLERI do not think that would be in the province of the Local Government Board. This being a pure question of law the Law Courts must settle it.