§ MR. O'CLERYasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland, for a Return of the number of Boards of Guardians in Ireland who have given results fees to their Workhouse Teachers, distinguishing those who gave such fees prior to the passing of the National Teachers Act; Whether it is the intention of Her Majesty's Government to give effect to such Act as far as Workhouse Teachers are concerned; and, if so, are they to receive the fees earned for last year; and, whether the Commissioners of National Education have withdrawn the gratuities hitherto awarded to Workhouse Teachers; and, if so, upon what grounds, and what compensation is intended in lieu thereof.
§ SIR MICHAEL HICKS-BEACHTwenty-eight Boards of Guardians in Ireland, or about that number, have given results fees to their workhouse teachers under the Act of last Session, out of which 11 Boards had done so before the passing of that Act. But this does not represent the full effect of the Act upon the condition of the workhouse teachers, because in several instances Boards of Guardians have preferred to increase the salaries of their teachers, when asked to grant them results fees under the Act. It rests with the Boards of Guardians, and not with the Government, to give 1712 effect to the Act as far as workhouse teachers are concerned; the teachers will receive the fees earned by them in the year for which the Guardians have agreed to vote them. The Commissioners of National Education have decided to withdraw a small sum of £360 annually spent in gratuities to 40 male and 40 female workhouse teachers. They have done so because this system of gratuities appeared objectionable, and by it the teachers were unnecessarily placed under the Board of Education as well as under the Local Government Board. The whole body of workhouse teachers will receive a far larger sum annually from result fees than the amount thus withdrawn.