§ No person employed in distributing or collecting forms in connection with the making of the said register shall be entitled to ask any question of any person or householder at any house visited other than a question as to how many persons between the prescribed ages are resident in the said house.
§ Clause brought up, and read the first time.
§ Motion made, and Question proposed, "That the Clause be read a second time."
§ Mr. McCURDYIn moving this Clause I would point out that owing to the novelty of this measure in this country, and owing to the fact that voluntary workers are largely employed in taking 602 the register, it is desirable that there should be in this Statute, or by way of instruction from the Local Government Board, no doubt left in the mind of voluntary workers, of whom there will be great numbers throughout the country, as to their duties. It may be necessary to ask questions as to the number of persons supported by a householder and as to their relation to such a householder, and if those questions have not been asked, the servants may be called in and asked. The Act provides that all those necessary questions shall be asked, but this Amendment is intended to make it clear that it is no part of the duty of those distributing or collecting forms to conduct any domiciliary inquisition into private matters.
§ Mr. LONGI hope the hon. Gentleman will not press this Amendment, since it would interfere with the provision that in any ease where assistance is required in filling up the form that assistance can be given. We shall take care in the regulations of what the hon. Gentleman has in mind, namely, that there shall be no illegitimate or improper interference.
§ Question put, and negatived.