Mr. Candlish's motion for the simple repeal of the 25th
clause 'of the Education Act,—the clause which enables School Boards to pay the fees of pauper children at denominational elementary schools in case their parents prefer them to the Board Schools,— was discussed and rejected by a majority of 201 (316 to 115) on 'Tuesday night. The tone of the Opposition was very much moderated, and Mr. Dixon, though he reminded Mr. Forster that Birmingham "knew how to make the most of a grievance," was not as exacting in tone as he has often been, and even intimated that if,—as we have suggested,—the denominational schools were required, in consideration of the annual grant, to receive pauper pupils without charge, at least until their numbers reached a -certain proportion of the whole attendance, the question might be settled pretty quietly. However, he concluded his speech with a sort of menace, appealing to the Prime Minister, "who was their hope," to gratify his faithful Dissenting supporters by a compro- mise, lest the breach should be widened and the irritation increased, —whereupon Mr. Scourfield remarked that these reiterated threats 'reminded him of the story of a lady who had a very stormy voyage, with her lady's maid, to Holland, which produced such an effect on the lady's maid that in describing her feelings on the -occasion she said that, next to Christianity, the greatest comfort she experienced was in giving " " warning, which she did in every interval between the attacks of sickness.
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