§ MR. BRIGHTwished to put a question to the right hon. Home Secretary, founded upon the report of the factory inspectors, and regarding the distribution of the money to factory schools arising from fines under the Factory Act. It appeared that Mr. Horner had given 150l. to schools connected with the Established Church, and only 50l. to the British and Foreign Society's and Dissenters' schools. Mr. Saunders, another inspector, had given 270l. to Church of England schools, and 35l. to Dissenting schools. His question was, whether it were not the intention of the Act 545 that the money should be distributed freely, fairly, and equally, among the various schools where factory children were educated? The distribution to which he had referred did not seem in the spirit of the Act; but upon that point he was anxious to obtain the opinion of the right hon. Baronet.
§ SIR J. GRAHAMreplied, that it was no doubt the intention of the Act that the money should be distributed equally and without favour. His instructions to the factory inspectors had been direct and positive, that the spirit of the Act should be carried into execution, and that sums should be apportioned with reference to the wants of the schools and to nothing else. In justice to Mr. Horner, he must add that he believed he was himself a Member of the British and Foreign School Society, so that Mr. Horner's prejudices, if any, would be in their favour. He believed Mr. Horner had acted with great impartiality; and he (Sir James Graham) would read to the House the statement he had himself made on this very matter. He said—
It may appear from this list that in my recommendations I give a preference to National schools. This is not the case. I have been surprised that I have not had applications for aid from other public day schools. The above recommendations in favour of the British and Moravian schools were voluntary offers on my part, and I have recently recommended grants to three British schools. I made inquiry about a Roman Catholic school, to ascertain if it needed assistance, but I learned that it was not attended by one factory child.He could assure the hon. Member he would find that any application, come from whatever quarter it might, would receive the fullest attention. Other schools had made no application for assistance; but from whatever quarter they came, it had been his (Sir James Graham's) desire that the spirit of the Act should be carried into execution.
§ SIR R. INGLISmeant no want of courtesy to the right hon. Baronet when he requested him to state more fully whether the House was to understand that he wished that equal or proportionate sums should be given to schools? He (Sir R. Inglis) had gathered that the right hon. Baronet had desired that equal sums should be given; but he could not help thinking that the meaning of the Act was that proportionate sums should be given. The same amount ought not to be granted to a school of fifty as to a school of a hundred children, whether they were of the Church of England foundation, or of the British and Foreign Society.
§ SIR J. GRAHAMadded, that the Act gave ample discretion to the Secretary of State to act upon the reports of the factory inspectors. He did not think that the number of children in a school ought to form the rule, but the wants of the school. The inspectors would be guided by the merits of the schools, and would report on their wants, and the sum granted in each particular case would be with reference to the wants of each school.
§ Subject at an end.