Mr. W. H. Smith was, as we anticipated, returned without
opposition for the Strand last Tuesday. After the nomina- tion, he was questioned as to the proposals of the Government with respect to Free Education, and whether any of the extra cost would be thrown upon the rates. The First Lord of the Treasury replied decisively in the negative. " It is not in- tended," he said, " that any portion of the burden shall fall upon the ratepayers." He went on to remark on the very heavy cost of education in the Metropolis, and to state his opinion that the London School Board does not get anything like an equivalent for the excessive cost of the education for which London ratepayers pay. " If results are looked for in the report of the Education Department, it will be seen that the children educated by the London School Board do not compare, in proportion to the expenditure upon them, favourably with the children educated by the School Boards of Manchester, Liverpool, and Birmingham, or schools con- ducted upon the voluntary principle." Mr. W. H. Smith, in fact, regards the London School Board as doing its work both extravagantly and inefficiently, in spite of the demonstration for economy which resulted in Mr. Diggle's election.
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