§ MR. H. B. SAMUELSONasked the Vice President of the Committee of Council on Education, Whether the inhabitants of Fairford have petitioned the Charity Commissioners and the Education Department against the Fairford Free School scheme; whether the said inhabitants have petitioned or in any way asked for an investigation into the charities of Fairford; if he would state when the eighty days' grace before the coming into effect of the scheme will elapse; and, whether he can delay its enactment until it has been discussed in the House of Commons?
§ VISCOUNT SANDONSir, when a scheme has been upon the Table of both Houses of Parliament for two months without any Address from either House of Parliament against it, it passes entirely out of our hands; and I may add that when the two months have expired, we are advised that the Government has no longer any power to interfere with the matter. This scheme, I am informed, has this day been approved by Her Majesty in Council, and is therefore now law. As some misapprehension has existed about this case, I may add, for the information of the hon. Gentleman, that the great change which was made in this charity, and which is, I believe, the object of the opposition to which he alludes—that is to say, the conversion of funds which were previously used for 858 apprentice fees to objects of education — was made as far back as the year 1871.