The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1869-03-20 00:00:00

V 0

PERIAL-PARLIAMENT:

Ts the Home of Lords, Match 15, on the motion of Lord
kinville, a select Committee was appointed to consider
. 'Mies for the despatch of insiuess, "especielly in regard
y-td is relit H
:ions of the two onses
10 . '
--k.oinutittes on the Habitual Criminals Bill an animated
In
A , ion arose, which lasted the whole evening, and in
e'h many lwf their Lordships took part.
Ch
IC v.ey few amendments were made tied in the end the bill
sos reported, and their Lordships adjourned.
the House of Commens,•Mr W. F, Foretop, in moving
in resoling of his landowed School. ldll, entered
,ISO
a copious expleuati.,u of its provisions ; and first, he
legislation by quoting the opinion of the I'ommls-
jullt that the wont education In the country was that pro-
In iv the schools between the topper middle class and the
Ti schools inspected by Government. The number
l tools dealt with by the M ' ill was about S,ooo—vls. 782
of
schools and 2,175 foundations—mostly elementary,
;;ith gess income of elSir2,ooo, and a net income applicable
to education of 11340,000, a sum which, if well bestowed, would
ve done much for coloration. But that these endow.
Its were to a irreat extent wasted Mr. Forster showed by
:en
emnsing though startling quotations from the Con,
Koort, and lie added that, though the good
ls alone seymed to have taken alarm at his bill, it war
ghoo
not aimed at them, but at the bad schools. The strongest
egumeut for reform, however, was the proved certainty
thst whereat. endowment did no good it did positive harm ;
and he held that, if these schools could not be re-
they must be net sable altogether in consider-
te
tne educational matters. By the proper utilisation
111050 endowments he anticinated that, while the
'number of boys educated would be Largely increased. the
proprietary schools would also be stimulated, and
th.properuse of an endowment Sir. Forster defined to be
the provision of school buildings and the securing a small
Woes to the master to start with, leaving Mt, however.
loot for the hulk of lois renottoetation to the success
to
of
th..ehri. The object he professed to have most at heart
was to open the benefits of these endowments not only to the
lower middle classes, on whose claims Mr. Forster strongly in-
but also to the working classes, ca Tying out in this, he
tateuded. the intentions of the founders, and he ex.
isined how he would do this by makieg the mindsets.' to
endowed schools depeed, not ou favour, but on com-
petitive examination He also shadowed out the scheme by
which the clever child of a working man might rise step by
step front the lowest elementary school to the highest edema
tion in the country. 'ro prevent the rich seizing on the fruit.
of these reforms, the bill would give power to classify these
schools and to fix the age at which the boss should leave.
Among other ohj,cte of the bill he mentioned the promotion
oI cols' education, and the multiplication of day schools.
The powers of the Court of Chaucery and the Charity COM-
misaioners would not suffice for these objects and a special
commission would be necessary. The Cominiesioners—who
see not named in the Bill—would have no power of them-
selves to alter the foundation of a school; they would pre-
pare echemee, and after due Inquiry and consultation with .
the school auth,orities, they wauloi submit them to the Com-
mittee of Council. 'rho Government of the day would then
,;..thne responsible for the schemes thus framed, and, if
they approved them, would lay them before Parlia-
ment, when they would become law if not objected
to by either House within forty days The estal.
lishmeut of • system of inspection would be post-
poned until the reorganisation of the schools was
complete, but • Council of Eohication would be appointed at
ace, half nominated by the Universities and half by the
Go.eonmeni, which would examine both scholars and all
masters appointed hereafter. The same privilege would be
given to private !shoots and all masters appointed hereafter.
The same privilege would be given to private schools and
scroolmsaters on putting themselves under similar cotton.
bona Mr POMO' concluded by a vigorous defence of his
principle as virtually carrying out the ideas of the founders,
sod making the ideas of the past minister to the ideas of the

tutuse.
Mr. Beresford-Hope thought the absolute power of the
Commissioners, the t• anonymous triumvirate," as he called
them, would caste strong npposition, and he Insisted that
they ought to be named in the bill. Ile objected also to the
want of securities modiat Church schools drifting into
Nonconformist, and 6cs ref la.
Mr. Hardy, who offered his assistance to make the Bill
efficient and satilfactery, urged that the Commissioners
Monti be named in the Bill, and the sante argotnent was
repeated by Mr Howard and others. Mr. Goleiney held that
fec much power were left to the Government, the principles
on which they should act ouitht to be defined more clearly in
the Bill, while Mr. Locke and Mr. Whithroad concurred in
recommending that an opportunity should be given to
schools with winch no fault could be found to frame schemes
of their own.
Mr. Walter objected to the short interval of 45 days
allowed for the consideration of the schemes by Parliament.
Mr. S. Hill objected to the stringent powers given to the
Commissioners, Mr. Charley to the abolition of the powers
of the Ordinary, and Sir. Rating to the Examining Ciutiril.
Mr. Crawford, Mr. Samuelson, Mr. Lea, Mr. Sconrfleld, and
Mr. Miami also made some ob-ervations, and, after a
general reply from Sir. Bruce, the Bill was read a second
Bum and ordered to he referred to a Select Committee.
The adjourned debate on the University Tests Bill was
resume i I by
Sr B. Palmer, who sail that as, in 1554, he had opposed
the tint introduction of Dissectors to the Universities—fore-
seeing that the dome.' would not stop there—so now he
would oppose this bill ;inevitable though he admitted it to
be , if he believed vat it would be eutoversive of the influence
sed euthonty of religion on the teaching of the University.
But on this point be had changed his mind, and, holding that
the disassociation of religion from the Universi y teaohing
would tea national calamity, he denied that the Bill would
have that effect. Its promoters had always disavowed that
object and, in quoting from the declarations of one of its
supporters, Sir Roundell was stimulated to admit that
their disavowal was not stamped with sufficient clear-
ness on the Bill. The Christianity aml the 'Murat
of England character of Convocation, University, and
Colleges were secured, not by tests, but by the statutes
of the Universities and the Colleges, which the Bill
did not in any way alter. Neither legally nor morally
was the subscription test as reliable a security for
the influence of religion on University teaching as the other
seettritin which would remain untouched. But thinking
that the importance of maintaining this connection should
be more clearly expressed in the Bill, he proposed to insert
words recogeising the Universities as places 01 religion and
laming, and the necessity of maintaining them as such ; and
also to add two clauses, one of which would contain an un-
dertaking for all lay protemors agitinst teaching anything
contrary to the Divine antliority ot Iloly Scripture aud the
doctrines id the Church of England.
Mr 0. 0. Morgan supported the hill, emoting that the
Unmet attics are national institutions, and not mere nurseries
for the clergy.
Mr. Plav fair supported the hill by an appeal to the es-
perieuce iof the Scotch Universities, where the abolition of
tests had brought the Universities into closet sympathy with
the people without weakening their connection with the
Church. Ile urged the cleinit of Presbyterians to he ad-
mitted to the English Universities, avid predicted for them
assure vigorous life when these denominational bunion had
been broken down.
The hill seas also supported by Mr. Fowler, and opposed
by Mr. Newdegste.
A motion to adjourn the debate woe here made by Mr.
Mere-lord Hope, but defeated on a division by 251 to 72. A
second motion was made, but not pressed, by Mr. Bathes,
said the debate was re-tinned by
Mr. Hardy. who intimated that the Opposition, after the
important amendments given notice of by Sir It Palmer,
would not divide aganist the second reading. Mr. Hardy drew
&gloomy picture of the confusion and discord which would
be caused by the introduction if persons of different re-
ligions into the govenang bodies, and defended the title
of the tuiversities to their endowments, as derived from the
original founders through the Reformation. The end of
this policy would be the secularization of the endowments,
and the Dissenters would gain no benefit from the concession
they sought.
Mr. Walpole added that he. like Mr. Hardy, would suspend
his opposition to the Bill until he had seen tire amendments;
and the Sol eller-General intimated that he would agree to
the first of the amendments, making it clearer that the Bill
was not Intended to sever the connexion between religion
and University teaching ; but the second amendment, em-
bodying a negative test, he could not accept.
The Bill was then read a second time.
Sone other business WU disposed of, and the House ad-
journed
In the Monse of Lords, March If, the House went Into
committee on the Common Law Courts Ireland) Bill.
Lord Weethury, in moving an amendment, sail it was ex-
tremely dEsinblethatthe procedure in the Irish courts should
be assimilated to those in England. The object of the amend-
ment, his lordship poieted out, was to remove the appoint-
ment to certain offices front the lurd-Lkeutenant to the

.mer oot..
Lord bufferin said he was glad to be able to annonnee I
that the bornintent would assent to the clause.
iris Calms and Chelmstod expressed their gratification
that the Goveromeot had acquiesced in the motion of Lord
Woutbury, as it would relieve the Irish Government of an in-
vidions duty.
The till then passed through committee ; and the Consoli-
date, Fund £5,4013,272; Bill having been read a second time,
the House adjourned.
In the House of Commons Mr. Leathern called the attention
of the Hose to the expettbncy of inking votes by ballot at
Parliamentary elections; and moved, That it he an in-
Btroction to the Select Committee appointed to inquire
into the present modes of conducting elections, to take into
consideration the varicns methods of, taking votes by ballot
which are at present ill one in portions of the British
Empire and it, other countries, together with sny modi-
fications thereof which may he suggested, and to report
upon the most efficient and convenient system of balloting.
Almost every nation that was free had adopted the ballot,
and he believed the ,sly exceptions were Great Britain, Rus-
sia, and Prusaie. He referred at considerable length to the
working of the ballot In Australia, sod to the evidence given
by the present First Lord of the Admiralty of his experience
cr its working in that colony. He believed that canvassing,
trio, was hut a portrait of a great system of coercion.
The hon. member felt confident that the introduction of the
measure would be supported by members of both sides of the
Borne, and he stated that he did not bring it in as a party
goestion.
Mr. Hardceutle, in seconding the motion, gave a descrip-
tion of the mechanical working of the Ballot in France,
Spain, the United States, and some of our Australian
eolonies
Sir G. Grey doubted the expediency of the motion, for the
Select Committee had ample power to Mimiee into this
Particular subject, and no doubt would inquire if it did its
duty. It would be contrary to practice, therefore, to direct
an instruct on such as this to the Committee.
lord C Hamilton reflected in rather soornf al language on
the hypocri.y of the Ballot party, insinuating that their real
aim was tut screen corrupt practices.
Sir II Bulwer recommended the withdrawal of the motion,
which placed the friends of the Ballot in a false position.
If they voted against it, an Impression would go out that
they were faltering, and if they voted for it it would be of
no use, far the inquiry could do no good. Ile was in favour
of the Ballet as an act of Justice. If the State gave a man
vote, it was bound to give him the opportunity of using it
•iuscientiously.
After remarks from Mr. Torrent, Lord F. Caveodish and
other members,
Mr. Gladstone commenced his reply by rehiring to the
state if the Opposition benches— which for some time had
beet, almost entirely untenanted—and pleasantly congratu-
Isted Mr. Leethern on the fact that, with the exception of ,
Lord C. Hamilton, the enemies of secret voting had left hinu
in possession of the field. With every sympathy for the main '
object of the motion—to secure the free and independent '
exercise of the franchise—he asked Mr. Leathern not to press
it That the Committee would inquire into the various
ion iles of working the Ballot was amply secured by the
lint uage of the order of reference, and also by the language
of Mr Bruce's speech ; and, moreover, it was of importance
that the inquiry should nit have the nir of a committee of
intrigue, so to speak, meant to c..' I C. t.tudbing which could
not Inc avowed, which might It, suspected if this un-
neeessary instruction were agreed to. After this ex-
pression of opinion Mr. Leathern withdrew his motion.
Mr Whalley followed with a motion to repeal, uncondi-
tionally. the Incon e Tax on trade too I personal pro-
perty of all kinds and to substitute L. tut:reamed taxon
lent anti fixed property.
The Chancellor of the Its,' ..n-ey remarked In reply tlmt it
Was an ,ald way of nun, out c.mmusree—th.
object Mr. Whalley pridessed uo in view—to hold out
to those engaged in them that when they heel made a for-
tune it should hear the heaviest burden of taxation. The
chugs Mr. Whalley proposed would not lie an amendment
of the Income Tax, hut the destruction of it, a al the substi-
tution of an unfair Property Tax. The mAion was not
pressed to a division.
• first reading was given to a bill brought In by Mr.
G..schum to amend the Metropolitan Poor Act '1,417, and bY
the Attorney-General for Ireland to amend the Salmon Fishery
Act Ireland).
After some other unimportumt business, the House ad-
journed.

In the House of Commons, on March 17, Mr. Norwood
moved the second reading of the County Courts Bill,
and explained that its object was to relieve manu-
facturers and wholesale traden from the hardships im-
posed on them by a change in the Connty Courts Act of
14,7, which regoires that in all claims for debts under £5O
the action should he brought In the County Courts
the district in which the defendant resided. The hill pro-
P5OO that where goods were sold and deuce l el below £.7ko lii
valne the plaintiff should he entitled to bring his action in
the court of his own district, but, on an application to the
registrar of his County Court hy the defendant, the plaintiff
should be bound to give security for the costa of the d 5
fastest
&at. Gioldsralci strongly objected to any altenttion fita./