The Sun.
London, England, 1870-05-24 00:00:00

Education.

Mr. Henry Winterbotham having within the past
few days represented the views of the Education
League and Mr. Baines those of the Edu-
cation Union, Mr. Hubbard, M.P., comes
forward to give his opinion as a mem-
ber of the " National Society," which is stated to
have been in existence sixty years, and which has
1,500,000 children on its school registers. Mr.
Hubbard says he fully concurs with the
spirit of Mr. Baines's letter, inasmuch as
he believes that most men concede that moral and
religious training is advantageous directly to the
child and indirectly to society. He, however, dis-
believes that any attempt to contrive an undenomina-
tional religious system of education can be successful
or satisfactory. Mr. Hubbard thinks that wisdom
and charity alike dictate forbearance in the training
of children rendered exceptional by their parents'
wishes or their own disqualifications, but he holds
that the teacher must belong to some denomination,
and, if conscientious, must teach what he himself
knows and believes. Agreeing with Mr. Baines in
the indispensable necessity for religious teaching,
Mr. Hubbard therefore refuses to imagine that
differing denominations can merge their differences
in any compromise which would retain
the power of supplying the principles and
motives which constitute a religious life. To
meet all objections Mr. Hubbard would let the de-
nominational system have fair play, and he would
institute a "liberty clause," which, not ambiguously
worded, would secure the teachers right of
teaching, and the parents right of withdrawal.
Mr. Hubbard, moreover, is in favour of
encouraging all voluntary effOrts, whether denomina-
tion or purely. secular, for providing a means of
educating the ignorant, and he would only ask the
State to interfere in the last resort, and by its strong
hand gather up the waifs and strays.
The Indian Budget.
- -

Mr. Laing's opinion as to the present dis-
content in India, in consequence of the
increased income tax, is worthy of consi-
deration. When Finance Minister of that country,
Mr. Laing says he had an opportunity of learning
that the radical complaint arose from a large portion
of the expenditure of India being withdrawn by the
Government in Downing-street from her control.
This compels the Indian authorities to frame budgets
on different principles from those acted upon
in England. India not being an independent country,
is not able to raise money by terminable loans to pay
for extraordinary public works, and she there-
fore has to pay ror them by oppressive
and unpopular taxation. Mr. Laing considers
the people of India have suffered from Home inter-
ference in the matter of economy, and
he instances the amalgamation of the local
European with the Queen's army, carried out in
direct opposition to the will of the Governor of India.
He thinks that in spite of all drawbacks, India is
financially one of the most prosperous States in the
civilised world. No other State has done so much
out of revenue, and there has always been a
surplus. The national debt is extremely moderate,
and the country is progressing with unexampled
rapidity. All that is wanted is to recognise the fact
that there is a great public opinion which cannot
safely be disregarded, and therefore the more
, matters are left to the Government in India, upon
" which such public opinion acts, and the less they are
interfered with by distant authorities, the better.