The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1847-02-09 00:00:00

HOUSE OF LORDS.-FRIDAY.

A conversation arose on the propriety of granting aid
from the state for the construction of railways in Ireland,
which was commenced by
--Lord STANLEY, who remarked that the object of Lord
George Bentinck in introducing the Railway Bill was not
to advance the value of railway shares, but to facilitate
the employment of labour without laying a tax of one
shilling on this country.
The Duke of IttcumoNn expressed his great satisfac-
tion at the introduction of the measure. He was con-
vinced that it would give employment to 50,000 persons
in Ireland, without taxing the people of England to the
extent of one shilling.
Earl FITZWILLIAM said the zeal, intelligence, and in-
dustry manifested by Lord George Bentinck must have
excited the admiration of the other house, and entitled
those who had prepared the measure to the gratitude of
the people of Ireland. In whatever hands the measure
might be when it reached their lordships' house, he
would give it his most undivided and strenuous support.
The Earl of WINentLsEA said Lord George Bentinck's
measure was certainly of an extensive nature, but it
should be remembered that it would not d4w a shilling
from the pockets of the people of England! He consi-
dered the population of Ireland greater than the soil
could support, and that every facility ought to be given to
a sound and extensive system of colonisation.
The Marquis of LANSDOWNE laid upon the table the
minutes of education agreed upon by her Majesty's Privy
Council, and, in so doing, stated that it was not his in-
tention to ask their lordships to come to any conclusion
upon any particular plan, though he felt it to be his duty
to inform them of the suggestions which the Privy Coun-
cil were prepared, under existing circumstances, to re-
commend. The Government felt that it was not practi-
cable to propose any large and comprehensive national
system of education, embracing all conditions of society
and all- classes 6f religious denominations. There were
two powerful classes of objectors to any such system that
could be devised—the one composed of the most pious,
the most virtuous, and the most learned men of the
country, but who thought that persons of different creeds
should not come into contact in these schools—the other
of a very large and influential class, who thought that
there should be no interference whatever on the part of
Government with the education of the youth of the empire.
Under these circumstances the Government thought it
most advisable to confine itself to offering suggestions as
to what ought to be done in the distribution of the sum
which had been last year voted for the purpose of educa-
tion. It had been found from the reports received, that
the plan of inspecting the schools had been attended with
the best possible results. It was, therefore, suggested
to carry out the system of inspection still further, so that
the schools might be each of them inspected at least once
a-year. For this purpose, it was intended to appoint three
or four additional inspectors, but they were by no means
certain that this number would be sufficient for that pur-
pose. It was also suggested that in all those schools
which were reported to be well and ably conducted the
schoolmasters should be allowed to take apprentices, to
be chosen from the most promising pupils, with the view
of training them to become schoolmasters themselves-at a
future period. The selection of the pupil should be made
by the guardians or the patrons of the schools, and a
special allowance should be made to the master for each
apprentice. From these apprentices a selection should be
made of the best for exhibitions in the normal schools,
where they might follow up their studies ; while those,
though equally well qualified as respected their attain-
,ments, but who might be in other respects unfitted for
teachers, would be provided for in the revenue departmeni s
of the country. It was also proposed to elevate the state
and condition of the schoolmaster by giving small pen-
sions in old age to such schoolmasters and schoolmis-
tresses who can show that they conducted a school with
propriety and ability for a period of fifteen years ; and
also by giving gratuities from time to time to such of them
as might be deemed particularly deserving. It` was also
suggested that auxiliary assistance should be given to
those who could show that they had successfully carried
on a system of industry in connection with their schools.
It was also proposed to place workhouse schools on a
better footing than that on which they now stood. lie
was aware that all this fell very far short of what they all
wished to see adopted—a system which would imbue the
mass of the youthful community with the elements of
education ; but in the existing state of society, and in the
face of insuperable difficulties in the way of any compre-
hensive system, the Government had no hesitation in
recommending them as steps to be made in a sound
direction.

Lord BROUGHAM regretted, that after forty-six years
of exertion in favour of education, they should now,
in the year 1847, find themselves as far from the adoption
of any national system of education as they were at their
first setting out, and this entirely owing to the state of
society in this country. He approved generally of the
plan suggested by the Government.
The Bishop of LoNnorr was of opinion that, under all
circumstances, the course proposed by the Government
was a wise one.

The Bishop of ST. ASAPH suggested the encouragement
of grammar schools, as calculated to give a better kind of
education.
The Earl of WINCHILSEA said the Government should
have brought forward a system of education in connection
with the Established Church.

The Archbishop of CANTERBURY approved of the pro-
positions suggested by the Government.
Their lordships then adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.-FRIDAY,

It was suggested by Mr. STAFFORD O'BRIEN, that
they should establish territorial divisions in Ireland for
the purpose of rating to the relief of the poor.
Mr. LABOUCHERE could not agree to the suggestion,
which, in its effect, would not be found applicable in a
free country. It was returning to the system of serfdom,
for those smaller divisions would be throwing on each in-
dividual landlord the relief of the poor on his own estate.
After some observations from Mr. Osborne, Sir H. W.
Barron, Mr. M. O'Ferrall, Lord John Manners, and
Lord Bernard,

The house went into committee on the Destitute Persons
(Ireland) Bill, and the greater portion of the remainder
of the evening was occupied in the discussion of its
clauses.