§ MR. PATRICK A. M'HUGH (Leitrim, N.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, whether an Irish national school teacher in his first year of service receives the same class salary as a teacher of the same class after many years of efficient service; and, will he consider the justice of increasing the class salaries of the Irish national school teachers by increments after certain periods of efficient service, in accordance with the system adopted in the case of inspectors, model school teachers, and others in the service of the Commissioners of National Education, and in every Department of the Civil Service?
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURGraduation in the salaries of teachers is at present provided by the classification system. There are no classes of inspectors of schools, and consequently there is no true analogy presented by their case. I understand, however, that the question of modifying the mode of payment of National teachers, so as to give greater weight to their efficiency as school-keepers, is now under the consideration of a Committee of the National Board.
§ MR. VESEY KNOX (Londonderry)I beg to ask the Vice President of the Committee of Council on Education, whether he can explain the reason for refusing to allow pupils in Irish National schools to be presented for science and art examinations in agriculture in May unless they have passed the second examination of the sixth class in the previous November; whether he is aware that the Rule presses very heavily on schools examined under the National Board between November and May, whose pupils in some cases would have to wait 18 months after passing the examination of the sixth class before going up for the science and art examination; and, whether, having regard to the fact that the Rule does not apply to other science and art subjects, he will relax it in the case of agriculture?
§ SIR J. GORSTThe Rule was made in concert with the Commissioners of 1724 National Education for Ireland, to prevent the duplication of payments by the two Departments for the same instruction, to which attention had been called by the Comptroller and Auditor General. The interval of six months, from November to the following May, when the Department's examinations are held, is the least that can be held as necessary for instruction under the Science and Art Department. The Rule applies specially to agriculture, because this subject is obligatory in all National country schools in Ireland, and it would be inadvisable, for the reasons stated, to alter it.