HC Deb 08 March 1880 vol 251 cc665-7

Bill considered in Committee.

(In the Committee.)

Clause 1 (On the application of parents of any deaf-mute or blind child, Board of Guardians may send such child to school).

Amendment proposed, In page 1, line 9, after "child," insert "resident in any such union or parish."—(Mr. Monk.)

Amendment agreed to; words inserted accordingly.

MR. MONK

said, that the Amendment he was about to move had been carefully framed, and had been taken from the Irish Act of 41 & 42 Vict. c. 60. He intended that the clause should run thus—"To any school fitted for the reception of young persons suffering under such infirmities." It would be seen that it would then run on all fours with the Irish Act. He begged to move the Amendment standing in his name.

Amendment proposed, In page 1, line 17, leave out "such child, whether," and insert "young persons suffering under such infirmities."—(Mr. Monk.)

Amendment agreed to; words inserted accordingly.

Amendment proposed, in page 1, line 17, leave out "shall or shall not have," and insert "having."—(Mr. Monk.)

MR. WHEELHOUSE

said, he must oppose the Amendment. There were many schools which did not require to be certified at all.

MR. MONK

said, the object of the Amendment was that children should only be sent to such schools as had been certified under the provisions of 25 & 26 Vict. c. 43. That, as the hon. and learned Gentleman knew, was a usual form.

MR. WHEELHOUSE

said, he did not want to make it absolutely necessary that the school should be certified to which the children were to be sent. There were many schools which did not require to be certified at all; and he wanted to bring both descriptions within the Bill.

MR. MONK

said, the Amendment was perfectly right as it stood on the Paper. If the hon. and learned Gentleman would allow it to stand it would be far better. There were very strong objections taken to children being sent to schools which were not certified and not under the control of Government.

Amendment agreed to,words inserted accordingly.

Amendment proposed, In page 1, line 27, after "burial" insert "Provided always, That the amount to he paid by such union or parish for the reception, maintenance, and education of every such pauper child so received in any such school shall not exceed the sum of five shillings weekly."—(Mr. Monk.)

MR. WHEELHOUSE

said, that this Amendment would render the portion of the Bill which provided for the education and maintenance of children almost nugatory, practically. He did not wish to delay the Committee for a moment; but he had in his mind an instance in which the Board of Guardians refused to send a child to the Liverpool School, leaving that child without education and without care. It could not be too much to ask that children should have something more spent upon them than the sum named.

MR. MONK

said, he wished to remind the hon. and learned Member that he had accepted this Amendment last year at the recommendation of the Home Secretary. It had been proposed last year that the sum should be limited to 3s. 6d. a-week; but after some discussion a compromise was effected, and the sum of 5s. a-week agreed upon. This Proviso was the exact counterpart of one in the Irish Act of 1878. It had never been intended that these children should be maintained and educated entirely out of the rates. What was meant was, that a portion of the expense should be borne by their parents, and 5s. a-week was certainly as much as the ratepayers ought to be called upon to pay. They had a precedent in the Act passed the year before last for the relief of poor afflicted persons in Ireland, and he must certainly press his Amendment.

SIR HENRY SELWIN-IBBETSON

said, he was afraid that there would be some difficulty in going beyond the amount of 5s.; and he reminded his hon. and learned Friend (Mr. Wheelhouse) that to do so would be to go outside the amount of the allowances in the case of industrial schools. He could hardly assent to the payment of a larger sum than that at present granted in the case of institutions having similar duties to perform.

Amendment agreed to; words inserted accordingly.

Clause, as amended, agreed to.

Remaining clauses agreed to.

House resumed.

Bill reported; as amended, to be considered To-morrow.