THE PROBLEM IN BRITAIN.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 13664, 1 April 1908, Page 15

THE PROBLEM IN BRITAIN.

'. A BISHOP'S EDUCATION BILL.

RECEIVES GOVERNMENT * SUPPORT. '■•

By Electric Telegraph. — Copyright. '* (Received April 1, 7.55 a.m.) * LONDON, March 31. *; In the House of Lords tjie Bishop" ot St. Asaph moved the second reading of; his Education Bill. He argued that i# was calculated ta $eoure .safety, peace! uniformity, 1 arid efficiency. , ,* .1 I The Archbisb:op of 'Canterbury stated^ ijhat the Bill was not officially put for-^ ward by the Church though.it went a^ long way towards producing an agreed ment. He favoured any settlement^ that would not involve the sacrifice of^ the church's fundamental principle. * Earl Crewe, Lprd^President ,pf, the Council, advised ttia'tJthe Bijft shouTdnbe, read a second time. He believed it was an honest attempt at a settlement, though many grave questions must be met before the requirements of the country ' were s secured 1 f The Government thought its Bill ought to be the basis for discussion. . -^ Lord Lansdowne said the Bill stopped far short of a compromise which would satisfy, the* Unionists. It not only con-, tamed ambiguities but had serious omissions. , ,it 4.. i4 ..i EarV Rosebery consi.dered the Bill an enormous step fprwara v The debate was adjpu?ned.

[This Bill ia the same as ( tbat submitted by the Bishop of St.; Asaph in 1904. It accepts the principle of public control and the abolition of tests, and provides for simple Christian teaching at given times in hpurSj at the expense of the local'edigDa&on'authority. It proposes that thrice a week facilities should be- given enabling the children whose parents so wish' to receive- distinctive religious instruction,, but not at the cost of the local education authority. '• The Church of England, under the Bill, gives up the f appointment of > teachers and the right or "contracting out, "and transfers its school buildings" for secular instruction.] i " .