THE EDUCATION QUESTION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13304, 10 October 1906, Page 7

THE EDUCATION QUESTION.

GREAT DEMONSTRATION AT MANCHESTER. WEST RIDING DECISION. By Telegraph Press Association.—Copyright. , London, October 8. Seventy thousand Churchmen participated in a procession three miles long at Manchester yesterday, and afterwards divided into many meetings, at which a resolution was adopted urging the House of Lords to drastically amend the Education Bill. Sir Robert Finlay, formerly Attor-ney-General, has advised the Education Committee of the London County Council that if the judges' decision in the recent West Riding case be correct the Council has no right to defray the expenses of religious teaching in either non-provid-ed or provided schools. Personally he believed the decision to be erroneous, and advised the Council to continue the old practice pending appeal to the House of Lords. Parliament resumes on the 23rd just-., and the House of Lords will then take up the consideration of the Education Bill. The derision of the Court of Appeal referred .to bv Sir Robert Finlay is that given in the case of the West Riding of Yorkshire Council, which had refused to pay the cost of giving, denominational religious instruction in non-provided schools. The Court upheld tho Council in its refusal, which was based on the following section of the Act of 1902: "That religious instruction shall be given in a school not provided by the local education authority in accordance with the tenor of the provisions (if any) of the trust deed relating thereto and shall bo under the control of the managers." If this decision lie upheld by the House of Lords on appeal there will bo little need for tho Education Bill now before Parliament, for the chief demand of the Nonconformists would have been already met. - _