§ MR. SLOAN (Belfast, S.)To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether, in view of the fact that the recent spotted fever scare in Belfast caused a decrease in the average attendance at many of the national schools, that the National Commissioners of Education have notified the withdrawal of salary from teachers where 601 attendances have not reached the standard, and that Rule 83 (b) provides for these exceptional cases, he will recommend the Board to continue the grant for an additional period of insufficient attendance.
(Answered by Mr. Birrell.) The Commissioners of National Education inform me that, in cases in which the attendance has been exceptionally reduced owing to the spotted fever or any other epidemic, they have exercised their power of continuing the grants for assistants, and will continue to exercise that power in proper cases.