The DUKE of BUCCLEUCHrose to inquire what were the intentions of Her Majesty's Government with respect to Scotch schoolmasters? He wished to make a few observations, in order to explain what was his reason for putting this question. The Act which first created the Scotch schools was passed in 1690. A commission which was appointed in the year 1803 to inquire into the subject of schools in Scotland reported that the remuneration of the schoolmasters as fixed by the Act of 1690, was totally inadequate, the highest rate of payment being 11l. a year, and the lowest 5l. An Act was consequently passed for raising those salaries, making the maximum salary 22l. and the minimum 16l. a year, and it provided that at the end of every 25 years the salaries of the schoolmasters should be revised according to the average return of the price of oatmeal during that period, calculated from the return made by the sheriffs to the Court of Exchequer in Scotland. The wording of that Act was very ambiguous, and liable to lead to a great deal of misapprehension. This revision was made pursuant to the Act in 1828, and the maximum salary was fixed at 34l. per annum, and the lowest at a proportionate rate. At Whitsuntide 1854, the revision would again take place, and their salaries would be paid according to the average of the last twenty-five years, and this would effect a diminution of one-fourth in their salaries. Before that diminution the salaries which they received had not been one farthing more than was absolutely necessary, if, indeed, as large as they ought properly to have been. The subject of the salaries of schoolmasters had, on several occasions, come under the notice of their Lordships, and, indeed, a Committee had been appointed to inquire into the facts of the case. That Committee had not made any report; but he believed that it was their unanimous opinion that the sum of money paid to the schoolmasters ought not, on any account, to be reduced, and that the inhabitants should be empowered, if they thought fit, to make he a legal assessment for this purpose for limited amount. As this was the last year in which the salaries of the school-masters would be paid according to the 974 existing scale, he was anxious to know what plan the Government would be likely to adopt. It had been his intention, at one time, to have had a Bill introduced to continue the present salaries until Parliament should otherwise determine; but he had relinquished that intention, in conseqnence of understanding that a Bill would be introduced by the Government for that purpose, or, at all events, to continue the present saleries for one year. He had some weeks back had an opportunity of seeing some of the Scotch schoolmasters, and they certainly at that time believed that such was the intention of the Government; and the general impression now that such a belief was not well founded tended to place the schoolmasters in a condition of great doubt and apprehension as to what their position would be after next Martinmas, for between this and then, if the present system continued, it would be necessary to strike the average from the prices of oatmeal according to the returns made to the Court of Exchequer in Scotland. For these reasons he wished to inquire from his noble Friend whether it was intended to propose a continuance Bill this Session, as originally understood by the schoolmasters, or what other steps were intended to be taken on the subject?
§ The EARL of ABERDEENhoped that his noble Friend would give him credit for taking an interest in the welfare of the schoolmasters of Scotland as great as he himself did, and he quite agreed that they were a most meritorious body of men; but at the same time he did not think that his noble Friend had quite accurately described their condition. At an early period of the present Session a deputation of schoolmasters had waited upon him, and had represented to him that the payment of their salaries in November was doubtful, and that they were not certain whether they were legally entitled to it under the present system. Under those circumstances he had promised that a Bill should be introduced to secure for one year the payment if their present stipend. He had, however, since that time, discovered that the payment of their salaries was perfectly unquestionable; and he therefore had deemed it unnecessary to introduce a Bill to accomplish an object which could be obtained without. During the next Session of Parliament he honed that some change would be made in their condition by the measure on education which the Government then intended to introduce, and which they had 975 hoped to have been able to carry this Session, but which they had been compelled to postpone. If that measure should not be proceeded with next Session, of course the first care of the Government would be to supply a separate Act to apply to that subject. He had not thought it desirable to introduce an an Act during the present Session for the purpose of giving the Scotch schoolmasters salaries this year, when no doubt whatever existed as to their legal right to exact them.
The EARL of HADDINGTONexpressed a hope that the statement of the noble Earl, with regard to the intentions of the Government, would have the effect of allaying any alarm or apprehension that might have existed in the minds of the schoolmasters.
The DUKE of BUCCLEUCHwished to know if he understood his noble Friend to say that the present salaries were secure until June next?
§ The EARL of ABERDEEN:That the present salaries would continue until June was quite certain, but whether into the month of June was, he believed, doubtful.
The DUKE of BUCCLEUCHthought it would be much more satisfactory to the schoolmasters and the public generally, if there were any doubt on the subject—and there appeared to be very great doubt—that should be at once set at rest. That could be done now more easily than if they waited for the chance of carrying a contested Bill upon the general question of education in another Session of Parliament.