§ MR. H. STEWART (Greenock)To ask the President of the Board of Education whether he is aware that the Herts county surveyor in his report presented to the Herts County Council on December 18th, 1905, as to the condition of the Wheathampstead School (No. 1,888), stated that the lavatory accommodation is hardly satisfactory; that the county council thereupon ordered the Wheathampstead school managers to arrange at an early date for the provision at their own expense of a proper water supply for flushing the water-closets automatically, and that the said order up to present time has not been complied with; that on Saturday, March 3rd, last one of the parishioners, summoned for not sending his boy to school, stated on oath that owing to the insanitary condition of the school his son frequently came back from the school-house suffering from headache and sore throat; that in front of one class-room there were six lavatories close to the school windows, the nearest being only four feet away; that the only means of ventilating this class-room was through swing panes of glass opening on the lavatories, and that at times the room was offensive and intolerable; and whether, as nearly five months have elapsed, and the county council's order has not been obeyed, he will take steps to secure that a state of things so 40 dangerous to the health of scholars and teachers is immediately remedied.
(Answeredby Mr. Birrell) The circumstances mentioned by the hon. Member have not been brought to my notice, but plans for the improvement of the office accommodation have recently been forwarded, through the county council, for the approval of the Board. The plans have been returned, with a request for fuller information, and an inquiry as to the possiblity of removing the offices further from the school. The hon. Member may rest assured that the Board will not allow the matter to drop.
§ MR. H. STEWARTTo ask the President of the Board of Education whether he is aware that on March.3rd last the Rev. E. C. Morgan was ordered by the St. Albans magistrates to send his son to the Wheathampstead school, when it was in an insanitary condition, and that when, in obedience to this order, on May 1st his son attended at the school he was sent home by the head master; and whether, seeing that the attendance of this lad at school had been ordered by a bench of magistrates, he proposes to take any action in the matter.
(Answered by Mr. Birrell.) I have no information as to the incident mentioned in the Question. The Board are in communication as to the improvement of the offices.