, 1876-02-02

themselves. a distinct pledge had
been given by the Chief Secretary
that if the Act of last Session was not
successful it would be reconsidered next
year. The Act had proved a failure, and if
the guardians were not willing to reoog-
nize the benefit of the Act it was not to
be expected that the same pressure would
be brought to bear upon them next year.
More had been done by the teachers to
induce them to contribute than ought to
have been done or than would be done
again. The subject of pensions was in the
hands of the Government, and they might
look for a settlement next year. With re-
spect to residence he thought the Govern
ment had acted fairly in offering to pay
half the cost in the case of non-vested
schools if the managers paid the other
half. He believed, however, that the
Act would never be worked out if it were
left to the managers. The Commissioners
OF Education ought to refuse to give q
grant to a school unless q residence was
provided for the teachers. The founda-
tons of the Queens University and of the
National Board were very much the same,
and the Chief Secretary had repeatedly
stated that the subject Of approximation
for those who had spent their lives in the
service OF the country was one that com
manded the sympathy of every heart, and
the Chief Secretary was bound to do as
much for the National School teachers as
he had promised to do for the University
Professors. Some people complained of
the failure of the Queens University, but
no one alleged that the National system
had failed. He believed that if accurate
statistics were obtained from England it
would be found that in primary education
they were far in advance in Ireland. Mr..
A. II. Sullivan, Mp, observed that during
the debates on the Bill last Session he had
held his tongue, because he saw that it
would place the Government in a position
from which they could not recede. It
was not fair to throw sthe teachers case on
the table of the board-room Of the Union
as a bone of contention so that the odium
of refusing a Just claim might be cast upon
the popular representatives. He regarded
the position of the teachers, especially the
female teachers, as one of great impor-
lance. They could do much to improve
the habits of the people, and remove the
IGpTOdCu WHICH was SOuleGINneS IauQCneQ
against the Irish peasantry sby those who
looked at their dirty cabins. Two mem
bers Of a deputation from the teachers of
England attended on Tuesday, and ex-
pressed sympathy. with their Irish brethren.
Resolutions were passed declaring that
the Act of last Session, by providing for
the teachers Of SO unions only one-third
of their resultafees, had proved a failure,
and that it should be amended or a new
Act passed, and that the salaries of the
teachers should be secured to them, and
the arrears due by o n-contributing unions
should be paid to them; also that no set
Element would be satisfactory which did
not provide q fixed class salary of 92,
81 los, and 91 q week for first, second,
and third classes respectively ; and that in
order to obtain the cooperation of the
Government Commissioners they were
willing to submit to a small deduction
from their incomes by the Education
Board as the basis ola pension fund. The
teachers at the same time expressed their
thanks to the Government for introducing
the Act of last Session and making proVi-
sion for the erection of residences.