NEWS OF THE WEEK.
THE most important events of the week are to be looked for in Parliament. In the House of Commons on Monday night Mr. McKenna introduced the Government's new Education Bill. He defined the problem awaiting solution as—how to establish the principles of public control and of no tests for teachers, while at the same time showing due regard to existing institutions. In his Bill it was proposed that in future there should be only one type of public elementary school. Every such school would be a County Council school, and no child would be compelled to attend any other kind of school. The religious instruction in these schools would be that under the Cowper-Temple Clause. Mr. McKenna went on to admit that to refuse all recognition to the Voluntary schools would be regarded as "a pitiless injustice." To meet this point Voluntary schools might, if they liked, contract out, except in single-school parishes. In such parishes the State would only recognise the County Council school. In other places the Voluntary schools would receive grants, but no rate-aid, as before 1902. These grants he would place at 47s. per child, a sum to be paid both to County Council schools and Voluntary schools, and involving a total extra charge on the Imperial taxpayer of not less than 21,400,000.
