The Irish standard., 1891-07-18
the LAND PURCHASE BILL.
The Tory Reform" Measure Passes
the Commons and Will Soon
Be Law.
1T WAS CONSIDERABLY MODIFIED.
A General Outline Of What the Free
Education Bill
Elnbodies.

Education Bill
Elnbodies.
The Catholic Press Association fur
nishes the following letter from London
under date OF June 20, which explains
in many details the Irish Land Pur-
chase bill as we'll as the Free Education
bill:
The Irish Land Purchase bill was
read third time on Monday, after hay
ing been considerably modified and i'm
proved by the efforts Of the Irish party
during It's progress through committee.
The committee and report stages Of the
bill occupied twenty-four long sittings
of the House; the main burden OF the
work fell upon MIR. Arthur O'Connor
and Mr.. Sexton. Even Mr.. Balfour, On
the last night Of the debate, spoke OF
the Conspicuous ability which Mr..
Sexton had displayed in dealing with
this most complicated measure.
In the few weeks that are left Of the
session, the chief ]aw-making business
before the House will be the Free Educa-
tion Bill. Looking over an American
newspaper the other day. saw it dc.
scribed as a new law to promote Free
Religious Education,' so, to prevent
misconception, it may be we'll to note
here its chief provisions. Elementary
schools in England are OF two classes
the board schools, which are unde-
nominational, and the voluntary
schools, supported by the various re-
lig1ous denominations. TO every school
OF either class which is examined and
approved by Government inspectors,
the Education Department at present
gives acapitation grant averaging about
lis, Sd, u year {not quite $4.50], pro-
v1ded that q like suna is. raised locally.
In the board schools this local school
income is supplied by the "school
pence" paid weekly by The children,
supplemented by a School Board rate
levied on the locality. In the voluntary
schools the ''school pence" ara supple
rnented by voluntary contributions, col
lec5ions ii the churches, etc. In 1889,
the last year for which / nave the re-
turing, the Government grant for school
purposes in England was as follows
TO Board Schools. 81 ,soa, ,59A
To Church Of England Schools. ........ 1,448,7E
To Catholic Schools. ols..-.................. l64,4l2
Wesleyan Methodist Schools. 1905
Various other Voluntary Schools. .....,. 2275o3
What the Government now proposes
to do is to abolish the school-pence in
the case of all children between five and
fourteen years OF age, and pay as g.
compensation out Of the Imperial taxes
a further grant OF los. (250) per head
ON the average attendance at the school,
This will cost the nation an additional
two millions sterling per annum, and
is undoubtedly Tory bid for the work
mems vote at the expense OF the middle
class taxpayer. The mere idea Of Free
Education was bitterly opposed by the
Tories until last year, and even now
many of the rank and file Of the party
are not reconciled to it. The Radical
section of the English Liberals have
long made it main plank in their
platform, and are moreover anxious to
make this further Government grant to
the voluntary schools a pretext for an
extension of the official control now ex-
ercised over UNCONVENTIONAL schools.
Many good judges hold that in any
case the board schools will chiefly bene
fit by the altered state Of things, and
that the religious schools will receive a
lower grant under the new scheme
than they do at present, and will thus
find it still more difficult to compete
with the "unsectarian" board schools
which draw upon both local rates and
Imperial taxes, and have perfect
police machinery to secure full attend"
ance and the steady Government grant
which results from it. AS to its prob
able effect on our Catholic schools,
everything VIII Ocpouu Ol VlO OlCSA6O
form the bill takes in it's passage
through the House Of Commons, and
the spirit IN which it is practically ap-
piled bv the Education Department. /
had a long conversation on the subject
with Cardinal Manning last week. [
am not yet at liberty to quote his opinion
on the subject, but next "Wednesday, at
the annual meeting of the Catholic Ed
ucation Committee. he will, expect,
make very important announcement
Twill return to the subject in my next
letter.
I may note here that the Cardinal is
now in excellent health. The severe
winter was q perilous time for a man of
his years. but he seems, it anything