§ Mr. Slaneymoved for leave to bring in a Bill to enable the ratepayers of any parish or division of a parish, under certain circumstances, to make a School-rate of limited amount for the education of the children of the poorer classes. The great difficulty of educating the poorer classes had arisen from religious differences, and to obviate this difficulty, without attempting to introduce any larger general scheme, he proposed, that this bill should be entirely of a permissive character, and that it should apply to only rural districts; and in those rural districts where there were not persons properly qualified for, and willing to undertake the education of the poorer classes, he proposed, that, after notice, a vestry should be held, at which three-fourths or four-fifths of the parishioners should be empowered to make a rate for the purpose; and that the ratepayers should make their own regulations; but that if there were a few persons entertaining religious objections to the plan so agreed upon, they might go before a magistrate, and upon making an affidavit, stating those religious scruples, they should be excused from paying the rate.
§ Leave given.