HC Deb 06 August 1885 vol 300 cc1279-81
MR. CAUSTON

asked the Vice President of the Committee of Council, Whether the Charity Commissioners, after inquiry in 1869 about Sir Andrew Judd's School, suggested that a second grade or middle school should be established at the town of Tonbridge; whether, in consequence of that suggestion, the Skinners' Company offered (if the Commissioners would sanction the use of £10,000, part of Hunt and Attwell loan trust funds, for the purpose, which were not required for loans) a sum of £10,000 out of their own moneys; whether such two sums of £10,000, making a total of £20,000, were accepted on the above terms by the Commissioners, and made the capital of the now middle school for the town of Tonbridge; whether the word parish was substituted for town in the published scheme, and not objected to by the Company, for reasons stated in a letter sent by the Company to the Commissioners in December 1877, viz. because the Company thought that if the position of the school was not rigidly fixed in the scheme they would be able to make better terms in acquiring a site; whether it is not well known that the Skinners' Company have all along wished to benefit the town of Tonbridge by the establishment of the new middle school there; and also, that the inhabitants of Tonbridge, who wished to secure privileges (when the scheme for Sir Andrew Judd's School was under consideration), abstained from interfering because they were informed that the Skinners' Company had arranged with the Commissioners (in 1877) to found a new middle school at or near the town of Tonbridge; and, whether the Skinners' Company has been compelled by the Charity Commissioners, against its wish repeatedly expressed, to accept a site at Tonbridge Wells inferior to one offered by the inhabitants of Tonbridge, and approved by the Charity Commissioners as suitable?

THE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL (Mr. E. STANHOPE)

The Charity Commissioners were not concerned with the question of a scheme for Sir Andrew Judd's School until after the passing of the Endowed Schools Act, 1874. Their draft scheme of 1875 proposed to provide for the ultimate establishment of a middle school "in or near the town of Tonbridge." The offer of £20,000—in all—from the Skinners' Company was accepted by the Charity Commissioners on the terms of a draft scheme which was communicated to the Skinners' Company on the 19th July, 1877, when the Commissioners, referring to the words "in or near the parish of Tonbridge," stated as follows:— On Clause of this scheme arises the important question where the new school is to be placed, whether at Tonbridge itself or at Tunbridge Wells, Southborough, or elsewhere. The Commissioners think the scheme ought before publication to be made less vague on this point than it is in the present draft; but they would be glad to have the benefit of the opinion of the Company. In reply, on the 21st December, 1877, the Company stated that— They are strongly of opinion that it is desirable to adhere to the clause in the form proposed by the Commissioners for the following-reasons. They would, in all probability, be able to make better terms in the purchase of a site if its position is not rigidly fixed. They are not at present decided whether it would be desirable that the school should be at Tonbridge, at Tunbridge Wells, or elsewhere, and do not feel that they are likely to come to a conclusion without taking into account the relative eligibility of sites which may be offered, and other questions. … They, therefore, express an earnest hope that the position of the school may be left for further consideration, and for settlement under Clause 9 of the scheme when it comes into operation. In view of the foregoing statements on the part of the Skinners' Company the Commissioners are not able to accept the allegations contained in the fifth paragraph of the Question. Acting under the powers of the scheme, the Charity Commissioners declined to approve a site proposed by the Company at Ton-bridge, but have approved one since proposed at Tonbridge Wells. In arriving at this decision the Commissioners have acted upon the wider consideration of the requirements of the respective localities, and not upon the comparative merits of the several sites proposed.

MR. CAUSTON

I hope I may be allowed to tell the House that last week, during the annual visit to Tonbridge of the Governors to the school, they disapproved of the site they were forced to take from the Charity Commissioners.

MR. JESSE COLLINGS

asked whether, seeing that there was a great cause of grievance on the part of the inhabitants of Tonbridge, and that they had petitioned the House on the subject, the right hon. Gentleman would consent to delay the application of the endowment until an inquiry had been made?

THE VICE PRESIDENT

said, that as the Charity Commissioners had arrived at their decision after careful inquiry, and after hearing all the parties concerned, he could not undertake further to delay this scheme.