BRITISH GOVERNMENT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21241, 23 January 1931, Page 7

BRITISH GOVERNMENT

DEFEATED ON- DIVISION. THE EDUCATION BILL. (British Official Wireless.) (United Press Association.) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.) RUGBY, January 21. In the House of Commons to-night the Government was defeated in a division on the report stage of the Education Bill for raising the school leaving age. The Bill has met with opposition from groups in all the political parties on the question of State aid to be given to nonprovided sectarian schools to enable them to fulfil the programme of building and staffing involved. A series of conferences to reach an agreed settlement were held by the Minister of Education during the recess, but they proved abortive. The division took place on an amendment moved by Mr J. Scurr (a Catholic Labour member) to suspend the operation of the Act, and the voting was 282 against 249. Questioned by Mr Baldwin whether the Bill would be proceeded with to-night, the Prime Minister said rio, principle at all was involved in the division, and lie hoped the House would proceed. A motion to adjourn the House, moved from the Conservative benches, was not pressed to a division. DEFEAT NOT EXPECTED. NO PRINCIPLE INVOLVED. LONDON, January 21. (Received Jan. 22, at 9 p.m.) Though it was known that the division on the Bill would be critical, actual defeat of the Government was not expected. Members of the House of Commons for the past few days had been deluged with post cards from AngloCatholic and Roman Catholic electors, demanding State aid for sectarian schools to meet the new responsibilities put upon them by the Bill. Some lobbyists, before the opening of the session, forecasted that the Government would withdraw the Bill. Nevertheless Sir Charles Trevelyan (President of the Board of Education) to-day informed a Labour Party meeting that, despite no arrangement having been come to regarding sectarian schools, he must proceed with the Bill. Mr Scurr thereupon announced that he and his fellow Roman Catholic and Anglo-Cathoiic Labourites had no option but to oppose the Government, declaring that sometimes party allegiance must give way to higher claims. Even then the Government expected that the Liberal votes would pull it through, expecting that most of the Catholic Labourites would merely abstain from voting, * but about 40 Labourites voted for Mr Scnrr’s amendment. The majority of the Liberals voted for the Government. The Conservatives mustered all their available strength for the amendment. Members of the Opposition, when they heard the figures, waved their, handkerchiefs, and cheered wildly, shouting “ Resign,” but Mr MacDonald calmly rose and said he was rather surprised at the excitement as the division did not involve any principle. The Government would continue negotiations aiming at an agreement for schools which were not provided for. Nothing further was involved. THIRD READING PASSED. LONDON, January 21. The House of Commons passed the third reading of the Education Bill by 256 votes to 238, most of the Liberals abstaining from voting owing to the success of Mr Seurr’s amendment, which, as Mr Runeiman said, Free Chm-ch supporters consider retrograde.