§ CAPTAIN DONELANI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that a resolution has been recently adopted by the Cork School Attendance Committee, pointing out that the present method of fining parents and guardians, under the Irish Education Act of 1892, is both ineffective and unjust, and recommending that power should be given to the Court of Summary Jurisdiction to order, in the case of incorrigible boys, a certain number of strokes of the birch rod as an alternative to such fines; and whether he will consider the desirability of acting upon this recommendation.
§ MR. G. W. BALFOURThe answer to the first paragraph is in the affirmative. Legislation would be necessary to give effect to the recommendation of the Committee, and I am not prepared to give a reply to the second paragraph without further consideration.