HC Deb 30 June 1890 vol 346 cc344-5

Bill considered in Committee.

(In the Committee.)

Clause 1.

*MR. RANKIN (Herefordshire, Leominster)

I should like to impress on the Vice President of the Council the desirability of lowering the standard of exemption in evening classes. In Herefordshire we are making great efforts to bring about manual and technical instruction, and I should be sorry if so many scholars were left out as I fear they will be. If the Vice President cannot see his way to reduce the standard from the fifth to the fourth clause altogether, he might introduce a clause providing that it should be the standard of exemption of the particular school which should regulate the exemption of the child entering the evening school.

*THE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL (Sir W. HART DYKE,) Kent, Dartford

My hon. Friend and myself have together considered this point in one or two ways. I am not sorry he has raised the point, though it is impossible for me to accede to his wishes. If these proposals of ours are as successful as we hope they may be, very soon, the schools to which the hon. Gentleman j alludes will be able to get their children into so forward a state that they will easily attain Standard V. I promise that while we are trying this new venture, I will carefully keep in mind all my hon. Friend has said.

Clause agreed to.

Clause 2.

MR. SYDNEY BUXTON (Tower Hamlets, Poplar)

I do not think any one wishes to oppose this clause, and I only rise to enter my caveat against the further infringement of the 17s. 6d. limit, which insists, in regard to voluntary schools, that there shall be a certain amount of voluntary subscription against the Government grant. We have some alarm on this subject, inasmuch as we are aware that the hon. Member for Wigan (Mr. P. S. Powell), has withdrawn his Bill, and we understand that ho withdrew it in consequence of satisfactory assurances he received from Her Majesty's Government. If these satisfactory assurances tend to the abolition of the 17s. 6d. limit it will be our duty to oppose such relaxation.

Clause agreed to.

Clause 3 agreed to.

Bill reported, without Amendment.

Bill read the third time, and passed.