On Wednesday discussion was resumed at the fifth clause, which
defines the powers of the local authority. Mr. White's amendment, designed to enlarge the powers of the authority over voluntary schools and bring them under the operation of the Cowper-Temple Clause, was rejected by 171 votes to 92, after eliciting the declaration from Mr. Balfour that there was no such thing as undogmatic Christianity, and that he did not understand why religion differing from the norm favoured by supporters of the amendment should necessarily be regarded as opposed to right ethical principles. On Clause 6, fixing the numbers of foundation managers and those appointed by the local authority, amendments ex- cluding single-school areas and reducing the numbers of foundation managers were also rejected; and on Clause 7 a similar fate befel attempts to secure for the local authority the right to appoint and dismiss teachers in denominational schools, and to exempt candidates for the post of head-teacher from any theological tests.
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