§ MR. POWELLsaid, he would beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether it is proposed to publish without further delay the Report of the Rev. James Fraser on Schools in America and Canada, transmitted by the Commission of Inquiry into Schools in Scotland? He would make a brief statement, and conclude with a Motion for the the adjournment of the House. When the Schools Inquiry Commission commenced their inquiries, they sent the Rev. James Fraser to America and Canada to report upon the state of education and the schools in those countries. Mr. Fraser had acted as Assistant Commissioner to 1025 the Commission appointed by the late Duke of Newcastle, and brought to the execution of the duty intrusted to him extensive knowledge of the subject, great zeal, and considerable ability. He had written his Report on the Schools in America and Canada, which, having been sent to the Commission of Inquiry into Schools in Scotland, was transmitted by them to Her Majesty's Government. The people of this country had therefore for the first time in their possession a paper written by a gentleman who, combining great knowledge of the educational institutions of this country with a great desire to introduce into them every possible reform, had by personal visits made himself acquainted with the condition of education in America and Canada. That paper, although sent to Her Majesty's Government, had not been printed and circulated; and he had therefore to ask the right hon. Gentleman the Home Secretary, whether it is proposed to publish without further delay the Report of the Rev. James Fraser on the Schools of America and Canada? He would beg to move the adjournment of the House.
§ MR. GATHORNE HARDYsaid, he had not been able to make out what had become of Mr. Fraser's Report. In consequence of the Notice of the hon. Gentleman, and of the mention of the Paper in the Report of the Commission of Inquiry into Schools in Scotland, he had made inquiries at the Home Office, where he was informed that the Rev. Mr. Fraser's Report had been presented to that House, and that no copy of it had been kept at the Home Office. He then inquired in the Library of the House, and found that there was no copy of it there. Consequently, he telegraphed that morning to the Lord Advocate, by whom he was informed that the Report had been published in London, and that only a few copies of it had been sent to Scotland. He confessed he could not understand how it was that the document had not been commented on in the Report of the Scotch Commission in the mode it was presented to that House with that Report. He would, however, make further inquiries on the subject.
§ Motion, by leave, withdrawn.