At Manchester on Tuesday Mr. Balfour addressed a great meeting
of his constituents. We have dealt with his admirably lucid and comprehensive speech elsewhere, and will only note here the chief points raised by Mr. Balfour. The main aim of the Bill was to improve our system of education, primary and secondary, and to place it on a basis which would make for efficiency. It also aimed at preserving to the volun- tary schools the right of religious denominational instruction. No amendments which struck at these principles could be allowed; but all efforts to improve the measure without destroying its essential character would be welcome. Following this line of thought, Mr. Balfour distinctly invited the attention of the country to increasing the power of control given by the Bill to the local authority as regards the secular education in voluntary schools. Let those of the friends of the Bill who desired that public control should be made a reality turn their attention, "not to the balance of power among the managers for secular education, but to increasing the authority of the Borough or County Councils." In other words, Mr. Balfour says to those who are genuinely anxious as to popular control: Don't trouble about a majority of popularly chosen managers, who after all will not say the final word on the secular educa- tion, but increase the power of control over secular education, which is to be lodged in the hands of the local authority.' That is advice as sound as it is practical; and if the opponents of the Bill were as keen about education as they are about damaging the Government, they would certainly work on the lines suggested.
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