THE LORD LIEUTENANT ON HOME RULE.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XII, Issue 9, 20 June 1884, Page 25

THE LORD LIEUTENANT ON HOME RULE.

On Tuesday, April 29, a meeting of the Select Committee on Education was held in the House of Commons. Mr. Childeis, M.P., presided, and amongst the members present was Mr. Thomas Sexton, M.P., who had been just placed on the committee in succession to Mr. Charles Dawson, M.P., who resigned owing to the pressure of private business. The witnesses called and examined included Earl Spencer, the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, who, in examination by the chairman, said he would be very much opposed to bringing Irish educational business under the control of the Lord President of the Council in England . The Lord Lieutenant was then examined by Mr. Sexton. From the report of the examination which appeared in the Freeman we take the following passages : — Mr. Sexton — I understand that you agiee with the evidence of the last witness (Sir Patrick Keerjan), as to the undesirability of placing the Irish Board in connection with and under the control of the English Education Department 1 Certainly. Amongst the reasons you brought forward for being opposed to such a step you stated two — the religious difficulty and national feeling. Do I understand that the Irish people generally would prefer to manage their own affairs in Dublin than to have them managed over here ? Yes. Dublin Castle, you say, is not a popular institution, but still you believe that the people prefer to go to the Castle to state their views on public affairs than come to London ? Yes. Haying regard to the departmental, the national, and the religious difficulty, without further going into the matter, you regard the scheme or project as undeserving of consideration ? Certainly. I would like to know, whether you consider the constitution of the National Board satisfactory ? I think it works, on the whole, in a satisfactory manner. Is it a fact that a large number of the representatives of the official classes hold places on the board ? It is a fact. Mr. Sexton — You say that the Irish Government had a marked influence, whenever it chose to exert it, on the National Board ? y Now, do you approve of the policy of the National Board with regard to the convent schools, and do you think it is for the public interest? I doa't think I should give any opinio«*>n any particular case. You know there are 50,000 girls being educated in the convent schools of Ireland ? eYes,c Yes, I am aware that this is a very difficult subject, and as it is at present under discussion and under consideration I don't think that I should give my own individual opinion upon it. Mr. Sexton knows this question is under consideration. Mr. Sexton— We have it that the board is largely composed of the official classes. Earl Spencer— l think that is a matter always to be considered whenever any appointment arises, and 1 am always sorry when I have any appointment to make — whether persons should not be appointed who are not officially connected. Very »ften judges are taken because they are the best instructed and best educated to fill the positions, but I quite agree with the hon. member that the Government ought to consider how they would make the board more popular. If those persons can be appointed who are really interested in-education. Finally, because of the departmental reason and two other reasons — namely, the religious and national reasons, you consider that the great principle that Iriih affairs should be managed in Dublin s)hould be applied to the matter of education ? I certainly think it would be a great misfortune to put Irish education under an English Minister.