SECOND READING. (Hansard, 10 July 1890)

*THE LORD PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL (Viscount CEANBKOOK)

I need not detain your Lordships very long in respect of tin's Bill, which will rather, I think, depend upon consideration in Committee than upon its principle. My noble Friend opposite, Lord Granville, introduced to me early this year a deputation upon this subject which followed upon a Royal Commission which went carefully into this subject, both in England, Scotland, and Ireland, and had also, in fact, studied its position in foreign countries. Their recommendations were, in fact, that blind and deaf children should be placed in the same category as children possessing ordinary faculties; that is to say, that they should be liable to come under the Elementary Education Act, and subject to the same law as to education as other children in the country. At the same time, it was found that the expense necessary for the education of the blind and deaf is 1256 necessarily on a very different scale to that which is necessary in the case of ordinary children. Therefore there has been some difficulty in England in endeavouring to frame a measure to deal1 with that point; and, in reference to calling upon the School Boards or County Councils, or the School Authorities in connection with the County Councils to find funds for the proper education, of those children, I need not say, my Lords, how important it is that these poor children should be educated. There are now a great number of blind who are perfectly unable to support themselves in any way; there are, I think, some 4,000 or 5,000 who have no means of support of any kind. It is, therefore, an important question whether it is not better for the State to do something for them in the way of education, in order to enable them to use the other faculties they possess, which they are often well able to use in spite of their deprivation of sight, hearing, or speech. We have seen how many have been able to more than overcome their disabilities, like the late Postmaster General, Mr. Fawcett. We can, therefore, see how important it is that they should have a thorough education. With regard to deaf mutes many of them having no organic defect but deafness, possessing even the means of speech, only that they hear no sound, and, therefore, are of themselves unable to speak on that account, or utter intelligible sounds, it is almost necessary that they should be educated in separate institutions. With regard to the blind, it is-not always the case, but in their case, also, it is necessary that they should have a special education. This Bill will give power to send them to institutions for that purpose. I have received very few communications with regard to the Bill, and very few Amendments. But there is one point which I think is very reasonable, that is, that in the case of parents, who would, if they could, use the ordinary elementary schools they should not be called upon to pay a higher fee for the education of these afflicted children than in the case of ordinary children. The necessity of spreading the expenditure, by not confining it in narrow limits or in particular localities, would, I think, become evident to your Lordships if you 1257 were to look into the question and see how unfortunately, by the intermarrying of people of this class, there is a perpetuation of deaf-mutism, and sometimes even of blindness, in the most remarkable manner, and, therefore, the burden would fall with exceeding heaviness in some places when there were many afflicted. To give your Lordships an instance. I received a card the other day giving particulars of a case where two deaf-mutes had married, and had produced five deaf-mute children, who would, of course, require to be educated in some institution. That is a lamentable state of things, but possibly there may be means by oral instruction of bringing a readier communication between the deaf and hearing people. Making provision for educating them in this way will, we may hope, lead to that result, so that marriages shall not so frequently take place as they now do between deaf-mutes. We cannot, of course, interfere in that matter by this Bill, but by means of education we may hope that something will be done in that respect. I am sure your Lordships will feel that these unfortunate children have some claim upon us, and that they need provision for their education quite as much as other children in the country. Those of your Lordships who have looked into the matter, will, I am sure* approve of the measure, and I think I shall meet the wishes of the House on the present occasion by not offering further remarks upon it. I know I have the approval of my noble Friend opposite, and I now leave the matter in your Lordships' bands.