§ Mr. FINNEYasked the President of the Board of Education whether his attention has been drawn to a resolution passed at a meeting of public libraries, museums, &c, committee, county borough of Stoke-on-Trent, protesting against the recommendation contained in the report of the adult education committee that the control of public libraries and museums should be transferred to the local education authority and strongly supporting the view of the Library Association on the matter addressed to him; and whether, in view of the manner in which the business has been managed for many years and the fact that the education committees are fully occupied in managing their own departments, he can give favourable consideration to the suggestion in the resolution that the libraries and museums be under the management of the libraries, &c, committee as in the past?
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§ Mr. FISHERThe resolution in question was forwarded to me by the Council of the County Borough of Stoke-on-Trent on December 22nd. Under the provisions of the Public Libraries Act, 1919, the position of public libraries, museums and gymnasium committee is not affected unless the council of the county borough decide under Section 3 (2) to refer any matters relating to the exercise by them of their powers under the Public Libraries Acts to the education committee.