HC Deb 26 January 1891 vol 349 cc1018-9
MR. CALDWELL (Glasgow, St. Rollox)

I beg to ask the Lord Advocate whether he is aware that all the members of Ardchattan and Muckairn School Board have resigned, in consequence of the Scotch Education Department having placed on the annual grant list an Episcopal school at Bonaw Quarries; whether his attention has been called to the fact that the School Board, compelled by the Department, in 1886 erected a school on a site recommended to them by the Department, to accommodate children whose parents were engaged in Bonaw Quarries; and that in order to obtain this site a public inquiry was held by the Sheriff, followed by a Provisional Order, reference, and arbitration, at considerable expense, and now a burden upon the ratepayers; notwithstanding the facts that the Board School contains ample accommodation for all the children of school age in the district, and that, in order to improve the education, the School Board pensioned the previous teacher, and recently appointed a teacher holding first class certificates; how many children there are of school age in the district, whose parents are Episcopalians; whether any of these children attend the Board School; what are the numbers on roll and in average attendance in the Board school and Episcopalian school respectively; when, and under what circumstances, and for what reasons, was the Episcopal school placed on the annual grant list; and what steps the Department intend taking for the election of a new School Board, or for carrying on the educational work of the parish?

MR. J. P. B. ROBERTSON

I am aware that the School Board of Ardchattan and Muckairn have given notice of resignation on the ground stated. The Department is now in correspondence with the Board on the subject, and a reply from the School Board to a communication recently addressed to the Board has been promised. In these circumstances, and as it is most desirable in the interests of the district that an understanding should be reached, and that the difficulty which has arisen should be amicably settled, I must refrain from dealing at present with the argumentative question which the hon. Member has put to me.