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54
sented a petition in favour, and suggested to the County Council
that a provision should be inserted in the Bill to the effect that
the bye-laws before being made should be submitted for the consideration
of the Metropolitan Borough Councils, by whom they
are to be carried out. The County Council stated in reply that the
Home Office authorities were not prepared to accept an amendment to
give effect to the suggestion. The Bill was passed.
Education
(England &
Wales).
82. This Bill, introduced by the Government, provided that
schools should not be recognised as public
elementary schools unless provided by the local
education authority, and contained provisions for the continuance
of existing voluntary schools as provided schools, and with
respect to religious instruction, the transfer of teachers and their
duties, and other matters. It also dealt with the making of
schemes with respect to educational endowments and the powers
of the Board of Education as to the administration thereof, and
proposed to authorise the establishment of a central education
authority for Wales. In the opinion of the Council the Bill would
have laid a heavy burden upon the rates and taxes of the country
without effecting any corresponding improvement in the means of
education, and, in view of the Education Acts of 1902 and 1903,
unnecessary. A petition was, therefore, presented against the
Bill, which passed the House of Commons, and, after considerable
amendment, was read a third time in the House of Lords. It
was, however, eventually withdrawn.
Education
(Administrative
Provisions).
83. This Bill would, amongst other things, give the Local
Education Authority the same powers with regard
to the purchase of land for the purposes of higher
education as they now possess for the purposes of
elementary education, and powers with respect to the appropriation
and alienation of land and buildings. The Council being
of opinion that, with regard to higher education, the Metropolitan
Borough Councils should be consulted before the site of a school
is determined upon, and should also appoint Managers of higher
elementary and secondary schools, as is now done in the case of
elementary schools under Section 2 of the Education (London)
Act, 1903, presented a petition for the alteration of the Bill to
this effect. The amendments asked for were, however, not madeand
the Bill received the Royal Assent on the 28th August, 1907.