The Sun.
London, England, 1868-03-18 00:00:00

VIE SPRINGBOK.

Mr. BENTINCK asked the Secretary of State for
Foreign Affairs whether he bad any objection to
lay upon the table all papers relating to the
capture and condemnation of the Springbok by
the United States Government, and especially
the letter to Lord Stanley on behalf of the owners of the
Springbok's cargo, dated the sth clay of February last,
covering the joint opinion of Mr. Mellish, Q.C., and Mr.
W. Vernon Harcourt, Q.C., and other enclosures.
Lord STANLEY said the whole of the papers were
now in the hands of counsel for their opinion, and until
ho received that he could not say whether he could give
them to the hon. member. _ . _

Mr. H.YA. BRUCE, in asking permission to bring in a
bill to provide for elementary education in England and
Wales, explained the points in respect of which the
measure differed from that which he had proposed last
year. The chief of these was that his previous scheme
provided for permissive rating, and was intended to give
to every local community in the country the power of
raising funds to provide sufficient education for its inhabi-
tants. During the recess, however, he found that the
feeling almost universally prevailed out of doors
that a permissivo bill would prove ineffi-
cient, for it would leave thousands and tons of
thousands of children totally without education.
To meet this difficulty the present bill, whilst containing
all the main principles and provisions of the bill of 1867
also provided machinery for its compulsory enforcement
where educational destitution had, after formal inquiry
been proved to exist. It would not, however, give auy
power of interference with districts adequately supplied
under the present voluntary system. First, it provided
for the voluntary adoption of the act by all municipal cor-
porations and other local boards or bodies ; secondly, for
its adoption by all unions not included in such boroughs;
thirdly, for its adoption by special districts formed
under Order in Council; and fourthly, for its
adoption by the union of parishes and parts of pa-
rishes into districts. The school committee would
in municipal boroughs consist of 'the members of
the common council; and some others added: and in other
districts of persons chosen by the ratepayers and the
owners and occupiers of land in the district of the annual
value of £lO. Another provision was that the managers
of any school might apply to be received into a union, and
if refused should have the right of appeal to the Commit-
tee of the Privy Council. The conditions upon which
schools would be admitted into union were that they
should be open to Government inspection, and be con-
ducted is accordance with the minutes of the Committee
of Council for Education. The conscience clause would
allow any parent to withdraw his child from learning any
catechism or other formulary, and from any religious in-
struction or observance to which he objected.
Leave was thou given to bring in the bill.
The Earl of MAYO obtained leave to bring in a bill to
amend the laws relating to Reformatory Schools in Ire-
land ; and Sir J. Pakington a bill to amend the Contagious
Diseases Act, 1866.

The Sea Fisheries Bill was passed through committee, as
was the Fairs (Ireland) Bill.
The County Courts' Admiralty Jurisdiction Bill was
after a brief debate, read a second time.

The Compulsory Church Rates Abolition Bill, as
amended, was agreed to.
The House adjourned at five minutes past eight until
twelve this day.