HC Deb 24 February 1915 vol 70 cc275-7
25. Mr. MOUNT

asked the Home Secretary the result of all or any of the ballots held in the border parishes under the Welsh Church Act?

Mr. McKENNA

In respect of seventeen out of nineteen of the Border parishes the Commissioners have made an Order which was published in the "London Gazette" of yesterday, determining that they should be treated as wholly outside Wales and Monmouthshire. A return of the voting will be made later if desired. As regards the two remaining parishes of Llansilin and Rhydycroesau, the Commissioners are not satisfied that the votes received indicate with sufficient clearness the general wishes of the parishioners, and they propose to consider means for obtaining a more conclusive expression of opinion.

Mr. MOUNT

May we have the reasons why the Commissioners came to this conclusion with regard to these two parishes?

Mr. McKENNA

In one case, I think, a number of votes were sent in late, and in the other case, I believe, the balance of votes between the two was very small, and the majority on one side did not represent a majority of the total number of persons entitled to vote. In all the other seventeen cases there was an actual majority in favour of joining an English diocese, and therefore there could be no doubt on the point.

Mr. MOUNT

Are we to understand that not a single border parish has chosen to come under the Welsh Church Act?

Mr. McKENNA

In seventeen cases out of nineteen the decision is in favour of England. In the remaining two cases the fact has not yet been decided.

27. Mr. HEWINS

asked why no ballot was held in the parish of Cwmyoy at the same time as those held by the Welsh Commissioners in the other border parishes?

Mr. McKENNA

The Commissioners did not take a vote of the parishioners of the ecclesiastical parish of Cwmyoy as they were advised that the parish was wholly within the administrative area of Monmouthshire.

Mr. BRIDGEMAN

Does not this parish appear in the Commissioners' Report amongst the border parishes—as a parish partly in Monmouthshire and partly in Herefordshire?

Mr. McKENNA

The question was as to whether the administrative area should be taken, and the Commissioners came to the conclusion, after consulting legal opinion, that the proper construction was to take the administrative area. This parish is included in the administrative area of Monmouthshire.

Mr. BRIDGEMAN

Then they did not act on the Welsh Church Commissioners' Report?

Mr. McKENNA

They were guided by the proper construction to be put on the Act of Parliament and they were advised legally that the construction was as I have stated.