§ MR. RUNCIMAN (Dewsbury)To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware that Mr. George Bickham, of Capstone Road, Bournemouth, has applied twice this year to the Bournemouth police magistrates for a certificate of exemption under Section 2 of The Vaccination Act, 1893, and that when he applied on 15th February, 1904, one of the magistrates declined to allow the certificate to be granted, although the applicant had satisfied two other justices, and announced that the whole of the Bench must be satisfied; and whether, under these and similar circumstances constantly occurring, he will circularise the magistrates, stating that certificates of 1209 exemption cannot be withheld where the applicant satisfies two justices as required by the Act.
(Answered by Mr. Secretary Akers-Douglas.) This is not a matter in which I have any authority to take action. But I have made inquiry, and am informed that, as a fact, the Court in this case consisted of four magistrates, two of whom were in favour of, and two opposed to, the grant of the certificate.