§ MR. E. HUBBARDasked the Vice President of the Council, If his attention has been drawn to the letter of the Education Department of 12th March 1879, informing the Buckingham School Board that—
My Lords are unable to sanction the borrowing of money by your board for the provisions of a school for 300 children;to the present proposal of the Buckingham School Board to take a lease of suitable buildings to be erected for the accommodation of 300 children, at a rent that will pay five per cent, over the expenditure, the board reserving the right to purchase the buildings at any time at six months' notice; to the fact that sufficient accommodation exists already in the schools of Buckingham and Gawcott for the educational wants of the borough; and, whether the Department could make such local investigations and tender such advice to the Buckingham School Board as would save them from saddling the borough of Buckingham with unnecessary school accommodation?
§ LORD GEORGE HAMILTON, in reply, said, he was aware of the discrepancy which existed as to the sufficiency of the school accommodation in the borough of Buckingham. The Education Department had declined to sanction a loan for the building of new schools, or to express any opinion upon a proposal of the Board to lease premises for the accommodation of 300 children. The question was now one entirely for the ratepayers and the School Board to decide; and in refusing to sanction the loan which had 1018 been proposed, the Education Department had done all they could do in the matter.