The Sun.
London, England, 1845-07-29 00:00:00

SITTINGS OF THE HOUSE.

In answer to a question from Mr. BROTHERTON,
Sir R. PEEL said that he would not object, with the
concurrence of the House, to move, after to• morrow,
that the House should sit at 12 o'clock fur despatch of
business, and sit throughout.
EDUCATION.
Mr. EWART said that he was compelled to draw the
attention of the House to the subject under his name en
the paper, namely :-1. That a statement be made, on
the part of the Government, of the condition and pros-
pect of such educational establishments as are supported
wholly or partially by a vote of this House, 2. That it
is expedient that the formation of public libraries, freely
open to the public, be encouraged. 8. That it is ex-
pedient that schools for the training of masters be more
extensively promoted. 4. That it is expedient that ap-
pointments to the subordinate offices of Government Le
made (as far as possible) by examination of the merits of
the candidates for such offices. He found that the re-
port of the Commissioners were more intended to dis-
guise the facts than to reveal them. They had
laid recently :laid upon the table of that House
a ponderous tome on the subject of education
which, he would venture to say, Hon. Members had never
read. The condition of the schoolmasters in Scotland
was nothing more than a state of penury. For many
years they were entitled only to the salary of 351. per
annum. The question arose how much further the
Government could interfere to assist the progress of
education. It would be a great advantage if any Mem-
ber should annually move for a report on the state of
education in England, Ireland, and Scotland. lie trusted
the municipalities would come forward and seek for the
establishment of libraries throughout the country. An-
other great source of promoting education was a system
introduced by the present Lord Grey, namely, by the
examination of those persons intended for offices un-
der Government. The Hon. Member the Chancellor of
the Exchequer might smile at the supposed novelty of
this proposition, but it had been tried, and that success-
fully, by the late Administration, and he left it to the
liberality of the Right Hon. Bart. to take up the subject
and promote it energetically. It was very possible that
he might take the sense of the House upon the case now
introduced, but at any rate ho thought it could do no
harm to throw out these suggestions to the Government
upon a matter of such undeniable paramount importance.
Sir R. PEEL rose and said, that however late the
period of the session, and however great the pressure of
public business, he thought the Honourable Gentleman
was quite right in calling the attention of the House to
this important subject. lie must say, however, that on
the subject of education the House had already very full
information, and also as regarded its progress. He
thought the suggestion of the Honourable Gentleman
that the Government should, before asking the vote, ex-
press an opinion as to the progress of education, for the
annual volume presented on this subject was rather too
voluminous for Members to make themselves fully
masters of. However valuable this volume might be, an
oral explanation by a Minister was preferable, as being
more calculated to awaken public attention. The
amount last year granted for educational purposes was
40,0001.—this year 75,0001. was proposed-75,0001.
was the sum voted for Ireland—so that, in
all, 150,0001. was in one year voted for the
subject of education—a fact which sufficiently
proved the anxiety of the Government on the
subject. He thought the increase of comforts to school-
masters was well worthy of attention ; for they could not
more effectually promote education generally than by
holding out encouragement to the teachers. In 1843 a
sum was granted for the building of 251 schools, and in
1844 for 380. In consequence of the addition t ) the 1.
objects to which the vote was applied, it had been found
necessary to make an increase of
.85,0001. ; but he