§ GENERAL GOLDSWORTHY (Hammersmith)I beg to ask the Vice President of the Committee of Council on Education whether, with regard to the Board School proposed to be built in Block VI. of the Chelsea Division, on the plea of pressing need, he is aware that the School Board Visitor reports that not a single child in the block is absent from school for want of a school place: that no part of this district is more than half a mile from one of the seven surrounding free Board schools; that in four of the adjoining blocks there is an excess of 863 places beyond those required for Block VI.; and whether he will reconsider his decision in the matter?
§ THE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL (Mr. ACLAND, York, W.R., Rotherham)The pressing need to which I referred in my reply to the hon. Member for Newry on the 26th of April is not for ordinary school accommodation, but for free school accommodation. A representation was made last July in terms of the Act of 1891, claiming free education for 590 children in this block, and it was found, after investigation, that after all the vacant free places in the neighbouring schools were taken into account, there still remained 378 children for whom free places had to be provided. The available Board schools are, with hardly any exception, already full.
§ MR. BARTLEYIs it not a fact that in the adjoining block there are 863 free places at the present time?
§ MR. A. O'CONNORDo not the parents of the children, as well as the School Board and Vestry, desire the sale of the existing site in order that a more suitable one may be obtained?
§ MR. ACLANDsaid, that hardly arose on this question. He would consider any particulars laid before him however.