MR. GRANT DUFFsaid, he would Leg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether the Government is prepared to advise Her Majesty to issue Her Royal Commission to inquire into the Colleges of Eton, Winchester, and Westminster, as well as of Harrow, Rugby, Charter House, Christ's Hospital, and all endowed, collegiate, cathedral, and prebendal Schools in Great Britain and Ireland in which the Greek and Latin languages are taught, with a view to ascertain whether the great resources of these institutions may not be rendered more serviceable to education and learning?
SIR GEORGE LEWISsaid, he stated on a former occasion that the Government were prepared to accede to the principle of an inquiry into the collegiate and public schools. The doubt which they had was as to whether an inquiry by a Royal Commission would be sufficiently effective for obtaining the desired information. Since his hon. Friend asked the previous question, he (Sir George Lewis) had communicated with the authorities and the principal public schools, and he found that they would generally be disposed to give information to a Royal Commission; and, therefore, that there would be no necessity for doing what the Government would not willingly resort to unless there should be a necessity—namely, of asking Parliament to pass a Bill giving compulsory powers to the Commissioners for that purpose. He ought to mention that there was one school, the case of which must be regarded as under the consideration of the Government, and upon which they had not yet been able to arrive at any conclusion—he meant the Winchester School. The doubt with regard to that school arose from the fact that it had been made the subject of detailed legislation by the Oxford University Commissioners, whose powers extended to the College of Winchester, and, therefore, as the affairs of that school had been lately the subject of investigation and of regulation by competent authorities it might not be necessary to include it in the inquiry.
MR. GRANT DUFFsaid, lie wished to know how far the right hon. Gentleman would desire that the inquiry by the Commissioners should extend—whether he would include the principal endowed schools?
SIR GEORGE LEWISreplied, that he understood the answer formerly given was that this Commission should inquire into all endowed public schools in which the Greek and Latin languages were taught. With respect to the cathedral and prebendal schools he did not wish to give any positive answer.