Last night the Government got their great measure of the Session—the Education Bill—into Committee; but they did not succeed in this object without a somewhat drastic application of the closure, both Sir William harcourt and Mr. John Morley, who showed desire to speak, being shut out of the debate. The question at issue was as to whether the largely increased grants to be given to voluntary schools should be accompanied by a measure of popular local representation, or representation of the parents of the scholars, on the boards of management of those schools. The Radical presentation received the support of few amendment in favour of such popular re-
servative members, but the Government, who would hear of no compromise on the matter, of course had their way, their majority dropping only to 146. The most remarkable thing about the debate on this measure is that up to the present Sir John Gorst, the responsible Minister for Education, has not yet once opened his lips. This fact has greatly strengthened the impression that the Bill which was taken out of his hands by Mr. Balfour, was not at all to his liking.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.