THE EDUCATION BILL.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 11 September 1908, Page 2

THE EDUCATION BILL.

(From Our Special Correspondent.) 1 THE GOVERNMENT'S REVERSE. WELLINGTON, Thursday. I The discussion ou the Education Act ,- Amendment Bill, brought about by the t carrying of Mr Wilford's amendment in f regard to uniform school books, was not resumed to-day. The Bill appeared as p No. 6on the Order Paper, but the Bills ahead of it were sufficient to occupy the y attention of the House for the whole of 0 to-day's sitting. No announcement has been made as to the intentions of the |* Government in regard to the reverse s that it has sustained in connection with; s the Bill, beyond the statement made by a the Minister at the close of the division * to the effect that he would drop the Bill 0 if the new clause were insisted upon. It j may be pointed out that the division was 3 on the second reading of the new clause moved by Mr Wilford. Another motion will be necessary to add the clause to the Bill, and before it is thus adopted amendments to it may be moved. In addition to those who took part in tbe division as shown by the lists Messrs ■ Hemes, Poole, and Davey paired in fa- ' vour of Mr Wilford's amendment, and . Mr Millar and Messrs Bollard and > Jennings paired against it. Including the ; Chairman of Committees, who of course > did not vote, a third of the 80 members of the House are accounted for. The > members absent were: Mr W7 Hall- ; Jones, Messrs Allison, E. G. Allen, Dil- ■ lon, Duncan, W. Fraser, Hornsby, Houston Hardy, Kaihau, Lang, Lewis, Mc- ! Lachlan, Mills, Ngata, Parata, Rutheri ford, Seddon, Stevens, and Thomson. Of the 11 Opposition members who voted or > paired, only three voted for Mr Wilford's amendment, the remaining eight ; voting with the Government. It is expected that, seeing so many members were absent, an attempt will be made to reverse the vote.