§ MR. MITFORDsaid, he wished to ask the Vice President of the Committee of Council on Education, If the Minutes of May 19th, 1863, and March, 11th, 1864, on Endowed Schools, are to be withdrawn?
MR. H. A. BRUCEsaid, in reply, that as he was about to reply to the Question of Ma hon. Friend by a suggestion, which 190 he should take the liberty of offering to his right hon. Friend the Member for North Staffordshire (Mr. Adderley), perhaps the House would have the kindness to allow him to preface that suggestion by a few remarks, the more especially as the position of the Government with respect to those Minutes was very peculiar and exceptional.
§ LORD JOHN MANNERSsaid, he rose to suggest that, if the right hon. Gentleman was going to make any statement, there should be an understanding that there would be a right to reply, in case anything should fall from him which would necessitate a reply.
MR. H. A. BRUCEsaid, he regretted the interruption of the noble Lord, for he (Mr. Bruce) could not but think that the House itself would have been much better satisfied if it had heard the short statement he had to make. However, he should refrain from making those observations now; and, in reply to his hon. Friend (Mr. Mitford), he would simply state that the hon. Member for Berkshire (Mr. Walter) had moved for a Return relating to the amount of endowments held by Endowed Schools assisted by the State, which would be laid on the table of the House in the course of the week. He would suggest, therefore, to his right hon. Friend (Mr. Adderley), that inasmuch as these Minutes would not come into operation till the 30th of June, and as the House would not be in a position to judge of the effect of the Minute of March 11th of this year, without having before them the Return that had been moved for, the discussion on his Motion should be postponed until that Return was before the House, the Government undertaking to give the right hon. Gentleman a day before the 30th of June for bringing forward his Motion.
§ MR. MITFORDAre the Minutes to be withdrawn or not?
MR. H. A. BRUCEThey are certainly not to be withdrawn. As I have stated, they will not come into operation till the 30th of June, and before that time arrives the right hon. Gentleman the Member for North Staffordshire will have an opportunity of bringing forward his Motion.
§ MR. ADDERLEYsaid, he wished to observe that his Motion in relation to Endowed Schools could not possibly be affected by any statistical Return, as it was on principle that it disputed the application of private endowments in reduction of public grants. But if the Govern- 191 ment asked him to postpone his Motion to another day he was bound to acquiesce, only stipulating that he should be put in as good a position as that which he was about to surrender out of courtesy to them, and that he should have, at least, a fortnight's notice of the day fixed.
MR. H. A. BRUCEOf course both those conditions will be complied with. The suggestion that I have made is quite as much for the convenience of the House as it is for that of the Government.