HC Deb 30 August 1895 vol 36 cc1259-60
MR. ARTHUR O'CONNOR (Donegal, E.)

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for India, whether he is aware that the Local Government of the North-West Provinces has recently reduced its grant for the education of European children by Rs.3,000 per mensem, although the number of children who require education is annually increasing; whether it is a fact that the Local Government maintains no schools of its own for the education of such children, and that under an article of the Grant in Aid Code, which hitherto has not been enforced, grants are no longer given to schools in excess of what the managers can raise by private subscription; whether this course, which makes the education of the poor absolutely dependent on the bounty of the rich, has been sanctioned by the Secretary of State in Council; and, whether he will direct the Local Government of the North-West Provinces to provide suitable education for poor European children, or else that the managers of aided schools, to whom the education of these children will otherwise be left, shall be supplied with the funds necessary to adequately supplement the resources obtained elsewhere?

LORD GEORGE HAMILTON

I am not aware that the grant made by the Local Government of the North-West Provinces for the education of European children has been reduced by Rs.3,000 per month, as stated in the question. It is the fact that there are no schools for European children entirely supported by Government. There is a rule that the Government grant shall not exceed the amount earned by the school; but the effect of this rule is tempered by another empowering special grants to schools where there is a small or poor European population. I cannot admit that these rules have the effect attributed to them in the question. The rules have been in force for a number of years under the authority of successive Secretaries of State. The question of the working of the rules is now under consideration in India. I will forward the hon. Member's question, and any other representations he may have to make, for the information of the Government of India.