The discussion in the London School Board on Thursday, on
the condition of the School Board buildings, is not alto- gether pleasant reading. The chairman of the Works Com- mittee, Mr. Helby, seems to be doing his duty fearlessly ; but we take it to be his opinion that all or nearly all the school-houses are in a doubtful condition, and that the remedy is to prosecute the contractors. This remedy, however, only extends to those houses which are less than four years old, and will be found wretchedly insufficient. Moreover, taken by itself it leaves the question of responsibility for the gross negligence some- where displayed entirely unsettled. Mr. Helby attributes the mischief to the system of accepting the lowest tender, which induces firms to come forward and compete merely for the sake of the command of money a contract gives them ; but then, who is responsible for that system P And who has allowed the successful contractors to depart so widely, as Mr. Helby says they have done, from their specifications P
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