25 OCTOBER 1902, Page 2

Parliament during the week has been busy with the details

of the Education BilL We shall not attempt to summarise the course of the debates, except to note that Mr. Balfour showed in the clearest possible way his willingness to make the control of secular education by the Borough and County Councils a real control, and generally to meet sympathetically all suggested amendments which aimed at improving the Bill, and not violating its spirit. On Wednesday the discussion of the Bill in Committee was prefaced by an Irish wrangle. Mr. P. O'Brien asked whether facilities would be given to discuss the grave condition of Ireland. Mr. Balfour replied that he would only grant a day-if it were clearly understood that the Leader of the Opposition would formally support the Resolution of cen• sure. Upon this Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman showed a considerable desire to shuffle, and could not be induced to say clearly whether he would or would not take the responsibility required of him. How could he support a Resolution which he had not seen P Upon this Mr. Balfour very pertinently suggested that he had better wait and see the Resolution, and then decide whether or not he could support it. On Thursday a similar wrangle took place on the same point.