BRITISH POLITICS.

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XII, Issue 2372, 31 May 1906, Page 2

BRITISH POLITICS.

THE EDUCATION BILL. ALL AMENDMENTS DEFEATED. LARGE GOVERNMENT MAJORITIES. MR BALFOUR’S PROTEST. PER UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION. London, May 29. The House of Commons continued the discussion on the Education Bill in committee yesterday. A division was taken on an amendment moved by Mr Chamberlain last week, for the omission of the prohibition of religious instruction in school hours. The amendment was negatived, the voting being:—For, 172; against, 367—Government majority, 195. The minority consisted of Unionists and Nationalists.

The amendment moved by Mr F. Maddison (Labour), that no religious instruction be given in schools transferred under the bill during school hours or at public expense, was also negatived. The voting was:—For, 63; against, 477—Government majority, 414.

The majority included Unionists, Nationalists and the bulk of the Liberals and Trade Unionists. The minority comprised Sir W. Lawson, Sir M . J. Collins, and a number of other Liberals, seventeen independent Labour members, and several trade unionist representatives.

An amendment by Sir W. R. Anson (Unionist member for Oxford University), to secure denominational instruction as far as possible in accordance with parents’ wishes during school hours, was also negatived, the voting being:—For, 176; against, 367 Government majority. 191. Mr Augustine Birrell, President of

the Board of Education, justified the Government’s clinging to the principle of fundamental Christian teaching as being in accordance with the wishes of the majority of the people. Mr Balfour emphasised the absence of security for even the minimum amount of religious instruction chosen by the Government. He denounced the bill as a gross injustice to those not accepting the CowperTemple clause. The closure was applied and clause 1 carried by 365 votes to 162.

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