QUESTION. OBSERVATIONS. (Hansard, 9 February 1893)

THE BISHOP OF SALISBURY
asked the Lord President of the Council what provision was to be made for the large number of children at Devizes, who would apparently be without school accommodation at the end of this month? He said the question was simply in continuation of that put by him to the Lord President on Tuesday last. He had since received information from the place that the number of children concerned world not be "large," and therefore he would ask leave to strike out that word. There were, of course, different ways of dealing with the matter, and a good deal would depend upon the answer the Lord President would give to-morrow to another question to be put to him as to a very alarming circular which had reached school managers?

THE EARL OF KIMBERLEY
My answer is, that it is not in the power of the Department to make such provision. That is precisely the question Which has to be determined—what provision will have to be made in this case. What occurred was this: The managers of the British School at Devizes, having given notice of their intention to close it, the school accommodation of the town is to that extent about to be reduced. The question arises how the void is to be filled; but when the Department came to consider the whole matter, it found it could not proceed without a census of the children of school age. It is to be regretted that there may be a little time during which there will not be accommodation for all the children in Devizes of school age, but that is not the fault of the Department. It is obvious that it would be wrong for the Department to take any initiative without first knowing the facts; but, those ascertained, all the necessary steps will be taken as speedily as possible to fill up the void, and to secure proper and sufficient school accommodation for the place.

THE BISHOP OF SALISBURY
said, the point he wished to bring to the knowledge of the House was that the Department had not used due diligence. Notice was given to the Inspector last 850 November that the school would he closed on the 28th February next, and the required information might have been obtained long ago. The Education Department were not really considering the interests of education in this matter.