§ MR. ERNEST GRAY (West Ham, N.)I beg to ask the Vice President of the Committee of Council on Education, whether he is aware that the National School in the parish of Fingringhoe is being conducted under the sole management of the Rev. C. E. Walker, in violation of the trust deed of the school house, which provides for a committee of management, and that the head master of Fingringhoe School has been recently dismissed by the Rev. C. E. Walker; can he state the reason for such dismissal; is he aware that the ratepayers and other inhabitants of Fingringhoe have protested against the removal of the teacher, against whose character there is no complaint, and who has received excellent reports from Her Majesty's Inspectors and from the Diocesan Inspector for work done in the school; and, will he take the necessary steps to insure that the terms of the trust deed are observed, and to protect children and teachers of schools from the injurious results of such dismissals?
§ SIR JOHN GORSTThe last application for grant to this school was signed by the Rev. C. E. Walker and two other managers. The Committee of Council have no power to inquire into the observance of the terms of trust deeds of elementary schools or to enforce them. The master has received notice of dismissal and some of the inhabitants have protested; but the Committee of Council have no power to interfere. Questions arising out of agreements between managers and teachers must be decided by recourse to legal procedure, as in the case of other contracts.
§ MR. J. ROUND (Essex, Harwich)May I ask the right hon. Gentleman 456 whether he is aware that the reverend gentleman in question has withdrawn the notice of dismissal?
§ Sir J. GORSTNo official information of that has reached the Department; but, if it is as the hon. Member has stated, I am very glad of it. [Cheers.]