EDUCATION BILL.

Evening Post, Volume LXXV, Issue 48, 26 February 1908, Page 7

EDUCATION BILL.

INTRODUCED IN HOUSE OF 1 COMMONS. » STATE AID. j THE MEASURE CRITICISED. By Telegraph.— Press Association.— Copyright. LONDON, 25th February. The Right Hon. Reginald M'Kenna, Piesident of the Boa.rd of Education, appealing for sympathy and tho abandonment of partisanship, introduced the Education Blil yesterday. Tho measure provides for giving State aid exclusively to the Council type of schools, which will have tenchers appointed without religious tests. No State aid will bo given to voluntary schools in single schools areas, and attendance is made non-compulsory in any voluntary schools, while parents objecting to these may choose the local authority's school. An Exchequer grant of 47s per child ib made to voluntary and Council schools for the same standard of secular instruction. In the event of the trustees being unable to continue a voluntary school they must transfer it to the local authority, which will allow facilities for denominational instruction outside of school hours. Mr. Balfour, Leader of the Opposition, derided the idea, that the Bill would bring peace. It inflicted, h© said, an injustice on parents in country areas, and meant gross ill-treatment for the managers of voluntary schools, while, as regards the towns, it destroyed the great work commenced in 1903. The Right Hon. H. H. Asquith (Chancellor of tho Exchequer) said no other solution was possible. Owing to tho inclusion of a provision that voluntary schools shall recover tho right to charge fees, Nonconformist members of tho House of Commons accorded the Bill a somewhat lukewarm reception. Mr. R. W. Perks, Liberal member for the Louth Division of Lincolnshire, suggested reconsideration of the urban clauses. The Nationalists preserve an extremely non-committal attitude towards tho measure. FACILITIES FOR DENOMINATIONAL TEACHING. THE TIMES'S OPINION. (Received February 26, 9.14 a.m.) LONDON, 25th February. Tho Times says the English sense- of justice will resent tho obvious attempt to cripple the Church rural schools unless they accopt tho proposed limited facilities of denominational teaching. LAWN TENNIS. » THE DAVIS CUP CHALLENGED FOR. BJ TeJecraHh.— l'rpea iEGociatton.— Copyright. MELBOURNE, 85th February. Tho secretary of the Tonnis Association has received a challenge from tho British Isles for tho Davis Cup. This ensures the match being played in Victoria for the cup towards the end of the year. Challenges can be received up till Monday next, and it is expected that America will ako enter. Last year Australasia (N. E. Brookes and A. F. Wilding) beat America (B. C. Wiight and Karl Bokr) three matches to two, and beat the holders, England (A. W. Gore and H. Roper Barrett) by three matches to two.