§ MR. MIALLasked the Vice President of the Committee of Council on Education, Whether, seeing that every scheme of the Endowed Schools Commission for applying educational endowments which has been laid upon the Table of the House provides that the incumbent of the parish shall be an ex-officio governor of the school to which the scheme relates, it is an understood rule with the Commission to make a similar provision a feature of all future schemes; whether such ex-officio appointments of the incumbents of parishes do not contravene the spirit of the Endowed Schools Act, and particularly 554 Clause 17, section 1, of that Act; and, whether, considering that these schemes have been laid upon the Table at a period of the Session when, owing to the pressure of other business it is impossible to find a suitable time for an adequate discussion of them, they cannot be held over or withdrawn till next Session, when the attention of the House may be drawn to the subject?
§ MR. W. E. FORSTER, in reply, said, it was not a rule with the Commissioners that the incumbent of a parish should be ex-officio a governor of an endowed school. In several instances, though not in all, it had occurred that an incumbent had formed part of the Governing Body, because it appeared desirable and in accordance with the wish of the community; but there was no rule laid down, and the Commissioners did not think they contravened the spirit or letter of the Act by making such appointments. It would not be advisable to withdraw schemes which had been laid on the Table, with a view to finding more time afterwards for the discussion of them, especially as there was no notice of opposition to them; and in the case of one scheme, in which the constituents of the hon. Member and of himself were interested, he could imagine no greater inconvenience than would result from the suspension or withdrawal of it, particularly as it was one generally approved by all parties.