BIRMINGHAM SCHOOL. (Hansard, 26 July 1842)

Sir E. Wilmot
moved the third reading of the Birmingham School Estate Bill.

§ Mr. Wyse
rose, pursuant to notice, to move the addition of three clauses to the bill by way of rider. The clauses which he meant to propose were most important, their objects being greatly to extend the benefits of the institution. It was intended by the first clause to give a different and a more liberal character to the governing body, by admitting five members to be elected by the town-council of Birmingham to act as governors; the second clause provided for a more satisfactory mode of furnishing and auditing the accounts; and the third empowered the governors to increase the number of schools for the elementary education of the children of the poorer inhabitants of Birmingham. As this appeal on behalf of the charity was made under an Administration that professed itself to be favourable to the 632 general diffusion of education, and the head of which had declared his anxiety to remove proved abuses, he trusted that he should have the support of hon. Gentlemen opposite. The following were the clauses
" 1. That the governing body of trustees of the said charity shall be increased by the addition of five governors, and that the five additional governors, being persons qualified as the governors are now required to be qualified, shall be elected by the town-council of the borough of Birmingham; and that whenever a vacancy shall occur in the number of such additional governors, such vacancy shall be filled up in like manner by the said town. council. "

" 2. That the accounts of the said governors shall be annually audited by the bailiff of the said charity, and by the auditors of the borough of Birmingham.

" 3. That the governors of the said charity shall be, and they are hereby empowered to increase from time to time the number of schools for the elementary education of the male and female children of the poorer inhabitants of the borough of Birmingham, in any part of the borough, whenever such increase may be conveniently made."

Sir E. Wilmot
opposed it. He argued that there was no necessity for altering the constitution of the governing body, which included amongst its members three or four magistrates of the county and several clergymen. It was altogether composed of persons of the highest respectability.

§ Mr. Brotherton
was in favour of the three clauses brought forward by the hon. Member. Under the provisions proposed by the hon. Member facilities would be given for the education of the poor, by means of this charity, which did not now exist. Charities of this nature throughout the country had been much abused. In them the aristocracy, and not the poor, for whose benefit they were intended, were educated. By educating the rich instead of the poor at these institutions, the intention of those by whom they had been founded were grossly violated.

§ Sir C. Douglas
opposed the clause. In his opinion, the constitution of the school required no alteration.

§ Mr. Protheroe
was of opinion that the proposed clauses ought to be agreed to The first clause was very important and ought to command support, inasmuch as it was better to have an elective governing 633 body than one that was entirely self-elected.

§ Sir R. Inglis
defended the present constitution of the charity. To show that it was not conducted upon exclusive principles, it was only necessary to state that 450 children of Dissenters derived benefit from it. As the select committee to whom the bill had been referred, and to whom the House had delegated its powers, had negatived the propositions of the hon. Member, it would be unparliamentary to interfere with their decision.

§ Mr. W. Williams
supported the clauses, and ascribed to the select committee some degree of political bias in deciding with reference to these propositions as they had done.

List of the AYES
Aldam, W.	Napier, Sir C.
Barclay, D.	O'Connell, I).
Bowring, Dr.	O'Connell, M. J.
Brotherton,	O'Conor, Don
Bryan, G.	Pechell, Capt,
Clements, Visct.	Philips, M.
Cobden, R.	Seymour, Sir H. B.
Colebrooke, Sir T. E.	Smith, rt. hon. R. V.
Duncombe, T.	Tancred, H. W.
Easthope, Sir J.	Thornely, T,
Ebrington, Visct.	Tufnell, H
Ellice, right. hon. E.	Villiers, hon. C.
Forster, M.	Wall, C. B.
French, F.	Wawn, J. T.
Gibson, T. M.	Williams, W.
Hastie, A.	Wilshere, W.
Hawes, B.	Wood, G. W.
Hindley, C.	Wrightson, W. B.
Hume, J.	Yorke, H. R.
Mangles, R. D.	TELLERS.
Morris, D.	Protheroe, K
Morison, Gen.	Wyse, T.
List of the NOES.
Acland, Sir T. D.	Burdett, Sir F.
Acland, T. D.	Burrell, Sir C. M.
A'Court, Capt.	Burroughes, H. N.
Allix, J. P.	Chelsea, Visct.
Arkwright, G.	Chute, W. L. W.
Astell, W.	Clerk, Sir G.
Baring, hon. W. B.	Clive, hon. R. H.
Baring, H. B.	Collett, W. ft.
Beckett, W.	Colquhoun, J. C.
Blackburne, J. I.	Courtenay, Lord
Blackstone, W. S.	Cripps, W.
Boldero, H. G.	Darner, hon. Col.
Bradshaw, J.	Darby, G.
Broadley, H.	Dawnay, hn. H.
Broadwood, H.	D'Israeli, B.
Brownrigg, J. S.	Douglas, Sir H.
Bruce, Lord E.	Escott, B.

Estcourt, T. G. B.	Knatchbull, rt. h. Sir E.
Farnham, E. B.	Knight, F. W.
Ferguson, Sir R. A.	Knightley, Sir C.
Fitzroy, Capt.	Lefroy, A.
Flower, Sir J.	Litton, E.
Follett, Sir W. W.	Lowther, J. H.
Forbes, W.	Lyall, 0.
Fremantle, Sir T.	Lygon, hon. Gen.
Fuller, A. E.	Maclean, D.
Gaskell, J Manes	Masterman, J.
Gladstone, rt. hn. W.E.	Meynell, Capt.
Gladstone, T.	Mundy, E. M.
Gordon, hon. Capt.	Norreys, Lord
Gore, W. R. 0.	Packe, C. W.
Goulburn, rt. hon. H.	Pakington, J. S.
Grant, Sir A. C.	Peel, rt. hon. Sir R
Greene, T.	Pollington, Visct.
Grimston, Visct.	Pringle, A.
hardy,	Richards, R.
Hawkes, T.	Rose, rt. hon. Sir 0.
Henley, J. W.	Rushbrooke, Col.
Hodgson, F.	Sandon, Visct.
Hodgson, R.	Sheppard, T.
Hogg, J. W.	Somerset, Lord G.
Hope, hon. C.	Stanley, Lord
Hughes, W. B.	Stewart, J.
Hussey, T.	Taylor, J. A.
Inglis, Sir R. H.	Thornhill, G.
Irving, J.	Young, J.
Jermyn, Earl
Jolliffe, Sir W. G. H.	TELLERS.
Jones, Capt.	Wilmot, Sir E.
Kemble, H.	Douglas, Sir C.