§ MR. GEORGE WHITE (Norfolk, N.W.)I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether he is aware that J. F. Allsop, headmaster of Tilney St. Lawrence schools (who has previously obtained certificates of exemption for two of his boys), has been summoned to appear at the Wisbech borough police court, on Thursday next, for failing to have his younger son vaccinated, though he has attempted on three separate occasions to obtain a certificate of exemption from the Terrington police court, and on each application one of the magistrates was prepared to sign; whether he is aware that Allsop will now have to travel seven miles to the court where the summons is made returnable, though the applications were made at the police court of his own district.
§ MR. GLADSTONEMy right hon. friend has asked me to answer this Question. I have no knowledge of this case apart from the statements in the Question, but inconveniences of the kind described are due, as I have often said before, to the provisions of the existing law, and I hope that the remedy will soon be found by the passing into law of the Bill which is now before the House. The attention of justices has twice been called by circular to what I am advised is the proper view of the provisions of the existing Act, in many cases I regret to say without any effect whatever; but I have no authority to interfere with the discretion placed in their hands.