COMMITTEE. (Hansard, 31 July 1879)

§ LORD NORTON
said, that at first he entertained great doubts about the Bill, which he defied anyone to understand by merely reading it; but it appeared to be its object to give school boards powers to contribute to, or erect industrial schools, and to borrow money for that purpose. They ought to be very cautious of giving school boards increased powers of spending money. At the present time they were recklessly spending, and there was no other body in the country which possessed such unchecked powers; they were endeavouring to introduce into the elementary schools the same kind of education that was given in secondary schools, and to crush out the voluntary elementary schools. They required watching; but he was informed that the actual effect of this Bill would really be to economize their work in the most essential part of it—provision for the most neglected children. He should have liked to revert to the approval of the Education Department in preference to that of the Secretary of State, as industrial schools ought not to be part of Home Office or prison administration; and on the third reading he would move an Amendment directed to that point.

§ EARL BEAUCHAMP
pointed out that the purpose of the Bill was to enable school boards to do directly and effectually what they were already indirectly authorized to do by the Industrial Schools Act and Elementary Education Acts, and to give power to Guardians to contribute towards the maintenance of a child in a certified industrial school in the same manner as if they were a school board.

§ EARL FORTESCUE
remarked, that there had been too easy an acquiescence in the expenditure by the school boards.

§ EARL FORTESCUE
moved an Amendment, the effect of which was to limit the making of loans extended over a great many years to sums raised for permanent works, and to prevent its applying to sums to be expended on furniture.