HC Deb 08 August 1904 vol 139 cc1354-5
MR. WEIR

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware that numerous conscientious objectors to vaccination in various parts of the country have recently been refused certificates of exemption; and will he state what steps he proposes to take to enable such objectors to vaccination to obtain certificates.

THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. AKERS-DOUGLAS,) Kent, St. Augustine's

Representations on this matter reach me from † See page 711. time to time, but I am not aware of any special development of it recently. I have no authority over the exercise of the discretion of the magistrates; but I may perhaps draw attention to the fact that the Lord Chief Justice in addressing the Grand Jury at Birmingham on the 27th ultimo discussed the principles on which the Act ought to be administered, and I hope that his comments will be generally studied and will do much to remove misapprehensions, and to secure a more uniform administration of the law.

MR. GIBSON BOWLES

Will the right hon. Gentleman bring under the notice of the justices the observations of the Lord Chief Justice?

MR. AKERS-DOUGLAS

I am quite ready to do so in due course.