§ SIR HENRY FOWLER () Wolverhampton, E.To ask the Secretary to the Board of Education whether his attention has been called to the fact thirty-one children attending the national school at Bridgerule, in the parish of Holsworthy, Devonshire, were withdrawn by their Nonconformist parents from the religious teaching of that school on the 13th October, and that the Vicar compelled all the childern to repeat three times after the schoolmistress the following statement, 912 "Fifty of us want the Bible, and thirty-one do not want the Bible"; and will he say what action he proposes to take in the matter.
(Answered by Sir William Anson.) My attention has been called to the matter by a minister residing in Holsworthy, on the authority of a local newspaper. The only confirmation of the newspaper statement appears to be a statement made some time afterwards to the minister by the mother of two of the children to the effect that her children had been made to repeat some such words. He did not ask her by whom the requirment was made. The vicar assures me there is "not the least shadow of truth in the charge." His denial will be communicated to the minister.