§ 27. Mr. SNOWDENasked if the regulation requiring that the father only can make the statutory declaration of conscientious objection to vaccination may be altered so as to enable mothers whose husbands are away with the Army to make the declaration, in view of the difficulty of the fathers making the declaration?
§ Mr. McKENNAIn ordinary circumstances it rests with the father as having the legal custody of the child and being therefore responsible for its vaccination to make the statutory declaration required by the Act of 1907 in order to exempt himself from liability if he has a conscientious objection. Where, however, owing to the father's absence from home on military service the mother has the control of the child and becomes responsible for its vaccination, it would be open to her under the Acts to make the statutory declaration.