§ Amendments reported (according to Order.)
1564§ LORD CHELMSFORD moved that the words "educational charities" be struck out of the preamble. The preamble, he said, was that of another and larger measure, and these words were not applicable.
§ Amendment made.
§ THE DUKE OF MARLBOROUGHrose to propose an Amendment which he believed would carry out the intentions of the House in the clauses to which they had already agreed. It was enacted by this Bill that the trustees of an endowed school where the religious teaching was according to the forms of the Church of England should not debar the children of Dissenters from the secular teaching of that school. In that arrangement he agreed. But at the same time, their Lordships had refused to admit Dissenters to the government of the school, lest they should alter its government. That was a proof, as he apprehended, that their Lordships did not wish any change to be made in the religious teaching of those schools. Still that was not quite clear as the clause stood; for Dissenters taking advantage of the privilege allowed them to send their children, might insist that they had a right also to introduce their own forms of religious teaching, and thus alter the government and constitution of the school. It was to guard against such an event that he wished to propose his clause. The noble Duke concluded by proposing a clause—
That where the religious teaching in any Endowed School shall at the Time of the passing of this Act be given in accordance with the Doctrines and Formularies of the Church of England, nothing herein contained shall empower any Trustees to allow any other Form of religious Teaching in such school.
§ LORD CRANWORTHconsidered the noble Duke's apprehensions were entirely groundless, but agreed that there ought to no doubt on the subject. He objected to the wording of the proposed Amendment, as not calculated to carry out the object in view, but would introduce words with that view himself.
THE EARI OF ST. GERMANSregretted the omission of the clause allowing Dissenters to be trustees, the effect of the omission of which he thought would be to oust them from many schools in which they had long acted as trustees.
§ LORD CHELMSFORDexpressed his continued adhesion to the view which had been affirmed by their Lordships, that Dissenters had no right to be trustees of Church of England schools.
§ Further Amendments made. Bill to be read 3a, To-morrow.
§ House adjourned at a Quarter before Seven o'clock, till To morrow half-past Ten o'clock.