§ LORD STANLEY OF ALDERLEY, in asking the Lord President for the reasons and justification for the order issued by the Education Office to the parish of Rothwell, Northamptonshire, to form a school board, notwithstanding a vote of a majority of fifty-five of the ratepayers against a school board, and the remonstrances to the Vice President of a deputation representing four-fifths of the rateable value; and in asking if this parish of Rothwell is the same parish as that in which the exhibition of a picture of Lord Beaconsfield in a national school had given rise to some complaints; and in moving for Correspondence, said, that this appeared to be a case of great injustice to the ratepayers of this parish, and the conduct of the Privy Council contrary to all precedent. He would read a letter to their Lordships to show how the matter stood. It was from the secretary of a large iron Mining Company in the parish to Mr. Mundella—
I beg to inform you that your action in ordering a school board for the pariah of Rothwell, Northamptonshire, in spite of the popular vote having been given decisively against it at a poll, has caused the utmost surprise and indignation in the parish. The majority of the householders consider that it is entirely 1438 against the spirit and intention of the Act to force a board unnecessarily upon them against their will, and that the offer of the managers of the National School to provide the extra accommodation required ought to have been accepted by the Education Department. We also think it hard that permanent and needless expense should be forced upon the parish when trade and agriculture have bean so depressed for several years. They think it unusual and unfair for a Minister of the Crown to act suddenly upon the statements of a deputation representing only a small proportion of the rateable value of the parish, without making any inquiry on the spot. It all clearly shows that a Radical will not hesitate to abuse his power and override the will of the people when their vote happens to clash with some crotchet of his or the wishes of his Party. You stated to a deputation that waited upon you representing a large proportion of the rateable value that 'no other course was open to the Department.' I beg wholly to deny the truth of this assertion, as it was certainly within your power to accept the offer of the National School managers to provide the extra accommodation required owing to the closing of the British School.He would like the reasons for issuing the order for this school board, and why the parish should be put to this large and unnecessary expense; and, whether the order had been given to please the Members for Northampton?
§ EARL GRANVILLEsaid, he had to apologize for the unavoidable absence of the Lord President, in whose absence he was afraid he could not answer the noble Lord. He would, however, endeavour to convey the noble Lord's arguments to his noble Friend; and no doubt he would, on the earliest occasion, reply to them.
§ LORD STANLEY OF ALDERLEYWill the noble Earl agree to the Motion for the Correspondence?
§ EARL GRANVILLEsaid, he could not do that.