§ MR. HOPWOOD (Lancashire, S.E., Middleton)I beg to ask the Secretary of Slate for the Home Department whether his attention has been called to the fact that Major Stilman presided with one other Justice at the Petty Sessions at Rye, on 27th December last, on the hearing of vaccination prosecutions, and inflicted fines and costs; whether he is aware that Major Stilman was at the time Chairman of the Guardians, and had taken part in ordering the prosecutions in question; and whether he will point out to the Justice that a Magistrate interested in a case, so as to make it likely that he will have a bias, is disqualified by law from sitting to hear it?
THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT Mr ASQUITH,) Fife, E.I am informed that Major Stilman, though an ex officio Guardian, is not Chairman of the Guardians, and was not present, at the meeting of the Board when the pro- 919 ceedings in question were ordered to be taken.