§ MR. LANE-FOX (Yorkshire, W.R., Barkston Ash)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Education what is the accommodation of the mixed elementary school at Darfield; whether the managers of that school refused to admit forty-one girls from Low Valley owing to the school being already filled in excess of its proper accommodation; whether the local education authority of the West Riding instructed the master of the school to disregard the instructions of the managers not to admit such children; and whether a local authority has the right to override any such decision of the managers of a school.
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION (MR. MCKENNA, Monmouthshire, N.)The recognised accommodation of the school referred to is 360. I am informed that the managers of the school passed a resolution refusing admission to the scholars in question and that the local education authority directed that they should be admitted. The local education authority appear to have acted within their rights, and the managers have been so informed.
§ MR. LANE-FOXIn view of the larger number of attendances, will the right hon. Gentleman not admit that there is overcrowding and that the Roman Catholic school is necessary?
§ MR. McKENNAI must first see the monthly Return.
§ *MR. CLOUGH (Yorkshire, W.R., Skipton)Is it a fact that these children were excluded, not by the managers as a body, but by improper action on the part of their clerical correspondent?
§ MR. McKENNAasked for notice.
§ MR. LANE-FOXHad the local authority any right to override the decision of the managers?
§ MR. McKENNAIt acted within its rights.