§ No person shall be assessed or rated to or for any local rate in respect of any land or buildings used exclusively or mainly for the purposes of the schoolrooms, offices, or playground of a Voluntary School, except to the extent of any profit derived by the managers of the school from the letting thereof.
§ Clause ordered to stand part of the Bill.
THE EARL OF KIMBERLEYsaid he had given notice of his intention to move the insertion of the following clause after Clause 3:—
The Education Department shall in every year cause to be laid before both Houses of Parliament a report of the proceedings under this Act during the preceding year.He would certainly have supposed that this clause might be inserted in the Bill, and he was informed that in the other House some promise was given that this Amendment might be inserted at another stage, meaning in another place. He could not conceive that the Government could have any objection to the clause on its merits. Unless it was contended that this was so completely a money Bill that not one word could be altered, he did not see why this clause could not be moved.
§ THE LORD CHANCELLORdid not think this Amendment was one of those to which he made any objection.
§ THE LORD CHANCELLORsaid he meant it did not come within his objection as to privilege; he did not mean that the Government acepted it.
THE EARL OF KIMBERLEYquite understood the noble and learned Lord to say it was not within his objection as to privilege. Of course, he 372 could not tell that no objection would be made. That was for the noble Duke to tell them.
§ * THE DUKE OF DEVONSHIREsaid he hardly considered it necessary that they should send the Bill back to the other House for the purpose of inserting this single Amendment. He could assure the noble Lord that it was the intention of the Committee of the Council to report fully the operations under the Act just in the same way as if it were compulsory.
THE EARL OF KIMBERLEYdid not see that the Bill was so sacred that not one word of it could be altered. He was rather surprised, as the Government was not powerless in the other House. He could imagine a weak Government being afraid of sending Bills back, but in the circumstances he could not understand the action of the noble Duke. He had been led to believe that some such Amendment as this would be accepted, and should certainly take the sense of the Committee upon it. ["Hear, hear!"]
§ * THE DUKE OF DEVONSHIREsaid he had not stated that it was of vital importance that no Amendment should be made in the Bill, or there would be any serious delay in sending it back; hut some delay would take place, and it was of importance that the Bill should pass at the earliest possible moment. No money could be distributed to the Voluntary Schools—some of which stood very great need of it—until the whole of the machinery to be set up under the Bill had been put into operation. It would be a work involving a considerable amount of time to form the associations, and when they were formed, they would have to frame their schemes for the distribution of the grants. He really would not take the responsibility of imposing any unnecessary delay. ["Hear, hear!"]
THE EARL OF KIMBERLEYapprehended that the money was not voted yet, and until it was voted there would be nothing for the Department to distribute. Could it be supposed that the Voluntary Schools were in such a state of pauperism that it was impossible to get them to wait a few days? ["Hear, hear!"]
§ The Committee divided on the Amendment: —
| CONTENTS | … | … | 19 |
| NOT-CONTENTS | … | … | 65 |
| CONTENTS. | |
| Ripon, M. | Coleridge, L. |
| Davey, L. | |
| Buckinghamshire, E. | de Vesci, L. (V. de Vesci.) |
| Kimberley, E. | |
| Russell, E. | Herschell, L. |
| Spencer, E. | Monkswell, L. [Teller.] |
| Stafford, E. | Reay, L. |
| Saye and Sele, L. | |
| Oxenbridge, V. [Teller.] | Thring, L. |
| Wandsworth, L. | |
| Aberdare, L. | Welby, L. |
| Boyle, L. (E. Cork and Orrery.) |
| NOT-CONTENTS. | |
| Canterbury, L. Abp. | Abinger, L. |
| Halsbury, L. (L. Chancellor.) | Addington, L. |
| Aldenham, L. | |
| Devonshire, D. (L. President.) | Ampthill, L. |
| Arundell, of Wardour, L. | |
| Cross, V. L. Priry Seal.) | |
| Ashbourne, L. | |
| Ashcombe, L. | |
| Norfolk, D. (E. Marshal.) | Balfour, L. |
| Churchill, L. [Teller.] | |
| Argyll, D. | Clinton, L. |
| Newcastle, D. | Colchester, L. |
| Portland, D. | Colville of Culross, L. |
| Cottesloe, L. | |
| Abercorn, M. (D. Abercorn.) | Fingall, L. (E. Fingall.) |
| Landsdowe, M. | Grimthorpe, L. |
| Hampton, L. | |
| Camberdown, E. | Harlech, L. |
| Carnwath, E. | Harris, L. |
| Clarendon, E. | Hylton, L. |
| Cowper, E. | James, L. |
| Doncaster, E. (D. Buccleuch and Queensburry.) | Lawrence, L. |
| Loch, L. | |
| Manners, L. | |
| Feversham, E. | Mendip, L. (V. Clifden.) |
| Leven and Melville, E. | |
| Lucan, E. | Norton, L. |
| Minto, E. | Poltimore, L. |
| Selborne, E. | Ponsonby, L. (E. Bessborough.) |
| Stanhope, E. | |
| Waldegrave, E. [Teller.] | Ranfurly, L. (E. Ranfurly.) |
| Robartes, L. | |
| Bangor, V. | Rookwood, L. |
| Knutsford, V. | Rothschild, L. |
| Llandaff, V. | Saltoun, L. |
| Templetown, V. | Silchester, L. (E. Longford.) |
| Ely, L. Bp. | Stewart of Garlies, L. (E. Galloway.) |
| London, L. Bp. | |
| Manchester, L. Bp. | Sudley, L. (E. Arran.) |
| Winchester, L. Bp. |
§ Clause 4,—