HC Deb 06 March 1899 vol 67 cc1345-6
MR. WEBSTER (St. Pancras, E.)

I beg to ask the vice-President of the Committee of Council on Education whether, during the recent contested election for the Rotherham division of Yorkshire, certain assistant masters in the School Board schools in Actum-cum-Aughton district of that constituency distributed the polling cards and the election literature of the Liberal candidate by handing them to the School Board pupils; if they also permitted placards in support of the Liberal candidate to be affixed to the School Board buildings built at the expense of the ratepayers; and, if he will cause an inquiry to be made; and, take steps to stop proceedings, similar to those complained of, in any future election in any part of the country in favour of any political Party?

THE VICE-PRESIDENT OF THE COMMITTEE OF COUNCIL ON EDUCATION (Sir J. GORST,) Cambridge University

As to the facts stated in paragraphs one and two, the Committee of Council has, as I informed the honourable Member last week, no information. No complaint has reached the Department; and unless a distribution of election literature took place during school hours the Department have no power to interfere.

MR. WEBSTER

I will give the right honourable Gentleman the names of the schools—

MR. SPEAKER

Order, order! The honourable Member is not entitled to do more than ask a Question.

MR. WEBSTER

Then I will ask the right honourable Gentleman whether this did not occur in the Actum-cum-Aughton district. I will ask if two assistant masters in this school did not distribute to the children a vast amount of election cards and other literature for the Liberal candidate?

SIR J. GORST

If the masters gave the literature to the children out of school hours the Committee of Council on Education have no power to interfere. The School Board might interfere, but if Ave did we should be told to mind our own business.

MR. WEBSTER

I ask whether the literature was not given in school hours, and were not the bills fixed on the School Board building?

SIR J. GORST

The Committee of Council have no power over the school buildings; the School Board may plaster its premises as it likes. We can only interfere in the conduct of schools in school hours, and in case complaints are made by the parents; otherwise we have no power to interfere.