§ MR. TOMLINSON (Preston)I beg to ask the Vice President of the Committee of Council on Education whether the attention of the Committee of Council has been drawn to a circular which, from its contents, it would appear that it is intended to have circulated amongst teachers in public elementary schools headed, "Proposed Memorial to the late Mr. Matthew Arnold"; whether he is aware that the circular in question contains the following clauses:—
The Committee hope that managers, teachers, and children will co-operate in raising this memorial. It has been determined that the subscription of a teacher shall be from sixpence to five shillings, and that that of a scholar shall not exceed one penny. The Committee think that children should not be asked individually to subscribe, but they suggest that a general invitation to do so might be given to them to enable them to participate in the memorial;368 Whether the Committee of Council intend to take any steps to prevent any undue pressure being brought to bear upon teachers in elementary schools to induce them to subscribe to the memorial; and whether they will take some mode of expressing their disapprobation of bringing any pressure to bear upon teachers?
§ *SIR W. HART DYKEI have no knowledge whatever of the matter, nor should I be justified in assuming that any undue pressure was likely to be exercised in support of the proposed memorial. The teachers are well able to take care of themselves. The Department has no power to interfere.
§ MR. TOMLINSONI beg to give notice that I will call attention to the subject on the Education Vote.