§ MR. WEIRI beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware that, although an applicant for a certificate of exemption from vaccination at Westminster Police Court on Saturday last based his objection on the ground that he conscientiously believed that vaccination would be prejudicial to the health of his child, the magistrate proceeded to cross-examine him and refused to grant the certificate; will he state whether the circular containing the opinion of the Lord Chief Justice in regard to the manner in which magistrates should deal with applications for certificates of exemption has been sent to this magistrate; and will he direct the magistrate's special attention to that opinion. [The hon. Member, in putting the Question, complained that it had been mutilated at the Table by cutting out the 557 name of the magistrate, Mr. Curtis Bennett.]
§ MR. AKERS-DOUGLASThe circular containing the remarks of the Lord Chief Justice, to which the hon. Member refers, was sent to all the metropolitan magistrates. Under the statute, which requires the applicant to satisfy the magistrates as to the conscientious nature of his objection, the magistrate has a discretion entrusted to him with which I have no power to interfere.
§ MR. WEIRWill the right hon. Gentleman again communicate with this magistrate? He, at any rate, appears to be obdurate.
§ [No Answer was returned.]
§ MR. MACVEAGHAS names are frequently deleted from Questions at the Table, may I ask if there is any rule that protects magistrates from having their names given when they are accused of improper conduct.
§ *MR. SPEAKERIt has been the custom to omit names where they are associated with allegations and are not necessary for clearness.
§ MR. MOONEY (Dublin County, S.)Should not the Member be communicated with before a Question is altered?
§ *MR. SPEAKERIt is the custom for the Clerk at the Table to put himself in communication with an hon. Member when his Question is not in order, but the difficulty is that often a Member hands in notice of a Question, then goes away, and it is not possible to communicate with him.
MR. GIBSON BOWLES (Lynn Regis)Is it not the rule that the Clerks at the Table should not alter a Question without the authority of Mr. Speaker?
§ *MR. SPEAKEREvery Question is not brought to me; only those in which the Clerk at the Table has any doubt.
§ SIR GEORGE BARTLEY (Islington, N.)Is it not desirable to make a rule 558 that no Question should be altered and printed without the Member putting It being informed? It would save a great deal of annoyance.
§ *MR. SPEAKERIt might not be possible to see the hon. Member, who might be annoyed if the Question were not printed.