§ THE VICE-PRESIDENT OF THE COMMITTEE OF COUNCIL ON EDUCATION (Sir J. GORST,) Cambridge UniversityIn asking leave to introduce a Bill to amend the Elementary Education Acts, 1870 to 1893, I may briefly explain that it embodies some small amendments which the experience of administration has proved to be necessary in the various Education Acts. Without going through each clause in detail I may say that there is, for instance, an amendment as to the fee grant, providing that the average attendance shall be calculated according to the Code at the time being in force, instead of according to the Code of 1891. Powers are given to guardians to contribute to the expenses of public elementary schools in those cases where the poor law children are to any extent sent to those schools. There is a provision to relieve the parishes in the jurisdiction of the School Board from contributing, as they do now, twice over towards the blind and deaf children in their districts, and in the matter of compulsory attendance the maximum penalty is raised from 5s. to 20s. Finally, there is another important amendment raising the number of attendances for obtaining what is known as the dunces' certificate from 250 to 350; and there is a section empowering the local authorities to make bye-laws affecting the school attendance of children up to the age of fourteen instead of thirteen.
§ Bill to amend the Elementary Education Acts, 1870 to 1893, ordered to be brought in by Sir John Gorst and Mr. Attorney General.