The North Wales Times

>fti^bat do you think that girl said when she r«fusedme?' 'I'll never guess. encft i ^d 8he so many similar experi- thn» ? that she couldn't offer to be more a half-airter to me.'

— FLTyT THE HECTOR STILL AT IT. A correspondents sends ns the following :— Another volcanic eruption took- place at the Parish Church on Sunday night, the 19th ult., and as the sermon for the Sunday previous was unfortunately crowded out of your last issue, I give last Sunday night's sermon as a speci- men. It is, perhaps, only tair to state that these sermons as they appear in the public press, bear strong internal evidence of having been communicated to the press either by the rector himself or someone on his behalf, and ridiculous as they appear, from all accounts which I can gather they would be very much more ridicnlouaif they were reported verbatim. This is the specimen alluded to 'The Rector of Flint, preaching on Sunday evening from the text Luke xvii. 32, re- ferred to the disobedience of modern Calvin- isiii to the teaching of the old Calvin fathers whose love for and simple exposition of God's Word had, he said, brought around them so many staunch adherents. He at- tributed the leakage from Calvinism in the present day to the hostility shown by them to the religious education in the elementary schools in Wales. The Rector then spoke of the present attack on the National Schools in Flint as having been commenced by a deacon of modern Calvinism. Several newspapers had short paragraphs about the matter, but as they were misleading, he would place a plain statement before them. A petition had been sent to him, not exten- sively signed as was reported, but contain- ing only seven names, and of these, four were preachers of the GC il.andnotoneof the seven was a native of Flint. This, then, was the huge upheaval of Radical Noncon- formity in Flint. The Rector thankfully owned the Baptists had throughout been to a man true champions of religious educa- tion in their schools, while the Wesleyans, as might have been expected, had acted in accordance with the best traditions of their religious society and, indeed, the heart of religious Nonconformity in the parish had always been beating in unison with the heart of the Church in the desire for bring- ing up the children of the town in the fear and nurture of the Lord. If there were any political Nonconformists who objected to religious education, there was no need for them to pose as martyrs and parade the streets as if suffering from a severe griev- ance they had only to express a wish, and that wish was a command to the man- agers of the National Schools, and it would be instantly obeyed. How different was the treatment meted out to Churchmen by Welsh political dissent! There were many scores of Board Schools in Wales where the Bible was an unknown book, where the name of God was never uttered, and the hymn of praise and thanksgiving hushed in silence, bufrif a Churchman expressed to the teacher of one of these schools a wish that his children should be taught the en- nobling truths of Jesus and His It ve, the only answer given-and a cruel one it was —was that such things were not taught there. Evidences of the results of this Godless education were to be seen on every hand in Wales. Some time ago a football eleven in Glamorganshire made arrange- ments to play in Paris on a Sunday. Several political Nonconformist ministers expressed their horror at such a thing, and said itwoudbe a blot on the Welsh char- acter, and so they asked the eleven not to play on a Sunday, but the footballers snapped their fingers at the reverend gen. tlemen, and said they would play on a Sunday. In the name of common sense, asked the Rector, how could these political agitators make such a re 'quest ? They had expelled the Bible from all the schools under their management, and what other result could be expected? They had sown the wind, thinking thereby to injul e the Church, and were now, as a natural con- sequence, reaping the whirlwind.' It will be seen from the above that the reverend gentleman has at last recovered from the snubbing he got from his Bishop at Den- bigh, some few months ago, when he attempted to make an attack on the modern Calvins, as he callIS them. Note the word modern' in this connection. Are we to infer from this that the reverend gentleman dates the deterioration of Calvisintic Methodism from the time that he and his parents severed their connection with them ? If so, perhaps it will be news to him to know that the Calvinistic Methodists are not quite of the same opinion as he on the matter. The Rector is, no doubt, enamoured of catechisms, so that he will, perhaps, allow me tb catechise him a little on this sermon again, and will favour me with an early reply :— I.-That poor deacon of 'modern' Calviaism, who, according to the Rector, is guilty of initia- ting an attack on the National Schools of Flint, must be, according to the Rector, a terri- bly wicked fellow; yet, strange to say, the Rector, in replying to his request, reckons him amongst his bosom friends, for he signs his re- ply as follows 'With hind regards and much sympathy, I remain, your sincere friend and wellwisher, W. Ll. Nicholas.' Which am I to believe, the Rector in the pulpit or the Rector in his study ? 2.—It appears that the Rector actually selec- ted four names out of the petition he had re- ceived, and read them out (giving their occupa- tions) from the pulpit. Will he kindly explain what was his object in doing this? Does he think that he can intimidate Nonconformists by methods of this kind? Does he imagine that because he can lure a few weak-kneed Noncon- formists by suits of clothes, &c., that he is going to frighten the rest in this manner? As a descendant from Nonconformity he ought to have known betcer, he ought to be well versed in the tremendous sacrifices which their fore fatners have made for the sake ot their princi pies, and that their descendants in Flint to day will not yield up these principles to overt threats of this kind, even though they come from so mighty a personage as the Rector of Flint. 3.—Why did he omit to tell his audience that the petitioners distinctly stated that they did not object to their children receiving Scripture lessons ? Am I to infer from this that the rev. gentleman believes that there can be no re- ligious' instruction apart from the catechisms? He is, no doubt, a 'Master of Art,' and I should like to know by what artifice he can justify Nonconformist children being compelled to say that they had their names given to them by their Godfathers and Godmothers ?' 4.—I observe that he has adopted a very much more friendly tone towards the Baptists and Wesleyans than he did on the previous Sunday night; has the following quotation from the million guinea scheme of our Wes- leyans friends had anything to do with this change of attitude, viz.:—'How the money will be spent-9200,000 for schools in which the children of the people may be taught, and training colleges in which their sons and daughters may be trained as teachers—schools with the Bible, and without catechisms or priest-schools to be built wherever, in town or village, it is necessary to save the children of Nonconformists from compulsory attendance at Anglican or Roman Catholic Schools ?' He talks about the desecration of the Sabbath in Glamorganshire. In the name of common sense why go so far as Glamorgan—let him open his eyes to what is going on under his very nose, in the town where he boasts of an overwhelmingly strong church,' where there are none other than National and Roman Catholic Schools. Has he any idea of the extent to which card playing and football are indulged in here on the Sunday. What has be himself done to put down this desecration of the Sabbath? Did he not opposeswith all his might the introduction of the Welsh Sunday Closing Act ? Has he not actually condemned that Act from the pulpit? And I ask in all seriousness are not these continual attempts by the Rector of the pariah to stir up the worst passions of his fellow townsmen a, greater desecration of the Sabbath than anything that takes place in Glamorgan or even in France? k 1 coUld- ask many more questions it I had time and yr¡u gave me space, such, for instance, as how much he, personally, gave towards the 1> izaar which he so generously (?) referred to 4iiiri,!ig his sei-i)ioti ? Iknow he was appealed to for a subscription, hut I have not seen his name among the subscribers. Has it been accident- ally omitted? Will he read out the names of the additional number of parents who have sent in their request for exemption from learn- ing the catechism? But I must refrain, as I think the above will suffice for a week or two.

FLINT NONCONFORMISTS AND DOCTRINAL TEACHING IN THE SCHOOLS. SOME COMMENTS ON THE STATE OF AFFAIRS. A public meeting was convened at the Town Hall on Monday night last, to hear the Rev. J. Hirst Hollowell deliver an address on the Rights of the people in reference to Educa- tion.' The Rector evidently became alarmed at the prospect of a meeting of this kind being held in such close proximity to the Parish Church, and he accordingly made pathetic appeals from the pulpit on Sunday night, somewhat in the fol- lowing strain :—' You, young men in the gal- lery, attend this meeting, and defend your church from abuse.' One would expect that if the church was in danger, the Rector himself was the man above all others who should have been there to defend it; but no, he found it convenient to retire from the town for a few days, and to watch from afar the effect of this significant although ambiguous appeal to the younger and less-responsible portion of his audience. A similar appeal was made, we believe, at the Welsh church, by one of his curates (the Rev. T. Jones Roberts). These young fellows set themselves to work to organise a gang of disturbers, and monopolised a fair share of the body of the hall. Prominent among the mal- contents was the head master of the Flint National schools (Mr. E. J. H. Williams), but it is due to Councillor R. Jones (headmaster of the Pentre National Schools), to say that he did make an appeal to the crowd to give the speakers a. fair hearing. There have been some lively meetings from time to time in Flint, but for organised disor- derliness, this meeting undoubtedly surpassed anything that has taken place for many years, and had the religious education of the Noncon- formist portion of the audience Ibeen of the same type as that of the disturbers, there is no doubt but that it would have resulted in a free fight, but to their honour, be it said, the Non conformists, no doubt feeling that the disorder witnessed must ultimately materially assist the cause they had so much at heart, took it all in good part. So intense was the hatred shewn in this meeting towards Nonconformists that one young man actually commenced to make his way on to the platform to attack the Rev. J. Hirst Hollowell. In view of what has been going on in the Parish Church from time to time, one "had great difficulty to repress a smile when towards the end of the meeting, the headmaster of the Flint Schools got up, and innocently declared that They would allow the meeting to pro- ceed if the speakers would not mention the Rector's name.' Surely he did not intend this as an intimation that he was the commander- in-chief of this regiment of rowdies. We sin- cerely hope not. But what about his demand ? Here was a meeting convened to enlighten the people as to their rights in educational matters, convened purposely, because the Rector of Flint has been trying to intimidate the people from taking advantage of those rights. Yet he ac- tually expected that the speakers, by organised disturbance, could be intimidated from men- tioning the name of the man who was princi- pally to blame for the acts complained of. If he did, he woefully mistook the mettle of the men he had to deal with, and in fact how could any speaker with'a grain of manhood in him refrain from calling a spade a spade on an oc- casion like this? Well, the result was, the meeting had to be abandoned, and then followed a most disgrace- ful and wanton scene. As the gentlemen who were on the platform left the hall, they were assailed with hooting, yelling, and cursing. Eggs were thrown at and struck some of the Nonconformist ministers. The Chairman (the Rev. H. Meirion Dayies) was struck by a stone on the back of his head, and a desperate at- tempt was made by one young man to strike a blow at Mr. Hirst Hollowell, so that Mr. Hol- lowell had to seek shelter before reaching his destination. The mob then paraded the streets, hooting before the Nonconformist ministers' residences, and kicking and throwing stones at rhe houses of some of thoss parents who were the first to take advantage of the conscience clause. Then to crown all, they proceeded to the residence of the curate:in charge (the Rev. T. Jones Roberts). This gentleman, we are told, happened to be in his sitting room at the time and hearing the noise, he apparently be- came alarmed, put out the lights, and ran up- stairs but a few seconds afterwards, he was greatly relieved to find that this rowdyism was nothing further than a few of his friends com- ing home to report progress. The whole aspect of matters then suddenly changed, and he came out like a man, and actually addressed the crowd, thanking them in the most sincere and fervid manner for the excellent manner in which they had defended the church, and based his address on a verse from the Scriptures. There is a strong feeling among Nonconfor- mists that the police did not do all that might have been done to prevent this disgraceful scene and the matter will, no doubt, form the subject of further investigation but it is only fair to say that the Inspector of Police stoutly maintains that he would have been exceeding his legal rights had he endeavoured to inter- fere with the disturbers of the meeting, unless there was an actual breach of the peace. The whole occurrence will, no doubt, come before Parliament, and will be the means of opening the eyes of the country to the tyran- nies to which Nonconformists are still subjected to, in this age of boasted freedom.

I IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF LORDS.-FFB. 27. POST OFFICE FUÑDS. Lord Stanley of Alderley asked why the Post- master-General should not be allowed some discre- tion as to a portion of the Post Office revenue for Post Office improvements. The Duke of Norfolk was wholly unable to solve the question. The Marquis of Salisbury said the Post Office had to submit to the same rules as all other departments of the Government. Thsy all had to go to the Treasury. THIRD READINGS. The Solicitors' Bill and the Palatine Court of Durham Bill were read a third time and passed. HOUSE OF COMMONS. PROTECTION OF WILD ANIMALS IN AFRICA. Sir Edward Grey asked the Under Foreign Secre- tary whether it is proposed to take any steps to pre- vent the extinction of rare or interesting species of wild animals or birds in Africa, and if so whether the co-operation of other Powers had been invited or secured. Mr. Brodrick said that steps had already been taken to provide against the destruction of wild animals, by the issue of game regulations. They were 11 y in communication with the German Government on the subject, and proposed to hold an International Conference in London in the spring. LORD KITCHENER'S PAY. Mr. Brodrick, replying to Mr. Herbert Roberts, said the Governor-General of the Soudan. Lord Kitchener, received pay at the rate of £ 1000 per annum and £ 500 for travelling expenses. This was in addition to his pay as Sirdar of the Egyptian Army. Lord Kitchener did not draw any pay from the British Army. RAILWAY CONCESSIONS IN CHINA. Mr. Brodrick, answering Mr. Joseph Walton. said it would be unusual to give the particulars of the railway concessions granted by China to private individuals and trading companies even if the parti- culars were in all cases in the possession of th, Foreign Office. COLONIAL SILVER COINAGE. Mr. Hanbury, answering Mr. Hogan, said the estimated loss to this country by allowing the colonies to coin silver would be not less than E20,000. DESTRUCTION OF THE MAHDI'S TOMB. Mr. Macneill asked the First Lord of the Treasury whether the report with reference to the demolition of the Mahdi's tomb and the circumstances connected therewith, which Lord Cromer has been directed by the Government to furnish, will be accessible to members of the House of Commons, and if so, will it be printed and circulated before the first reading of the Kitchener Bill. Mr. Balfour: Yes, sir. Before any proceedings are taken on the vote of thanks to Lord Kitchener, I shall be glad to put the House in possession of any knowledge we possess on the subject. NEW MEMBER FOR ROTHERHAM. Mr. Holland took the oath and his seat for Rotherham, in the room of Mr. Acland, resigned. NORTHAMPTON'S SCHOOLS. Mr. Labouchere moved the adjournment of the House in order to call attention to the persistent re- fusal of the managers of St. James'-end, Northamp- ton, schools to admit about 300 children on the ground of their wearing a medal. Nearly the whole of the Opposition ro se in support of giving leave to move the resolution. Mr. Labouchere explained that St. James's End was a suburb of Northampton, containing 6000 inhabitants. There was only a Church of England school there and when a large number of children went to school with medals on they were ordered to take them off. On the following day the children who presented themselves with medals on were refused admission. On the medals was this inscrip- tion, We want a Board school." He asked the Education Department to put an end to this method of preventing the fulfilment of legal obligations. The question was whether children were to be allowed in school to wear any medal; and the refusal to let them do so in this case was an insult to the parents. Mr. Channing seconded. Sir J. Gorst said the credit of this method of raising the question of legal rights belonged, not to the people in the district, but to outside in- fluence instigated by the Education League. The state of the law on the subject was one that her Majesty's Government lamented for they did not, consider it at all satisfactory. A chief in- spector was sent down to inquire into the matter, and the inspector reported to him that this par- ticular medal was provocative and intended to provoke; and the Education Department was per- fectly prepared to support the managers in the rule they made against the children wearing them. He blamed the noblemen, gentlemen, and members of Parliament who encouraged this unfortunate quarrel in which the children were the only sufferers. After some remarks from Mr. Lloyd-George and Sir J. Brunner in support of the motion, the House divided, and the numbers were: For the adjourn- ment, 99; against, 301. A PAINFUL INCIDENT. Mr. Ritchie introduced a bill to extend and amend the Railway Regulation Acts, the object of which was to prevent accidents in the coupling and un- coupling of railway waggons. It gave power to the Board of Trade at the end of five years to call upon the railways to supply the whole of their rolling stock with automatic couplings. While he was speaking a stranger sitting under the Peers' Gallery screamed in a way that indi- cated painful illness, and it was soon perceived that he had fallen down in a fit. Mr. Ritchie stopped speaking for a minute or two, during which the prostrated stranger was carried out. Mr. Ritchie next introduced a Bill for incorpora- ting in one Act certain provisions usually contained in Provisional Orders under the Electric Lighting Acts, 1882 and 1888; also a Bill to simplify and amend the law relating to the testing and sale of anchors and chain cables. The Bill was read a first time. SUPPLY-UGANDA. The House then went into Committee on the Civil Service Supplementary Estimates. A large number were challenged, but the motions to reduce were after debate withdrawn. On a votef 9256,000 as a grant in aid of the Uganda, Central and West Africa, Sir C. Dilke moved to reduce the first item- Uganda—by £100. He spoke of the disturbed con- dition of Uganda, which caused this large supple- mentary estimate, and condemned the attempt of the Foreign Office to administer that country. There was no prospect of settled peace in the country, the condition of which was almost inconceivable. He asked about the object of'the Martyr expedition down the Nile, the object of which had been kept a secret. Commander Bethell said there was no harm in the Government telling the House the object of the Martyr expedition. Mr. Brodrick, in reply, said the administration of the Uganda Protectorate had caused anxiety in many quarters, but if all was known he did not think the present situation need cause anxiety. The mutiny among the Soudanese troops was largely owing to the pay not being of the kind wanted, separation from their families, and overwork. The officers in Uganda believed that the country was quiet- ing down. Colonel Martyr's expedition had gone north to explore and plant posts on the part of the Nile which connected with the part to which Lord Kitchener's troops had nearly penetrated. Colonel Martyr was to join hands with Lord Kitchener and was to occupy the territory to which we were entitled and which con- nected Uganda with the source of the Nile. The last telegram was received from the expedition on January 23rd. He believed the day was near when Uganda would pay its way, as the revenue was rising. The fullest responsibility had been given to those entrusted with the administration on the spot, but the mutiny could not have been foreseen. The Government did not propose to hurry on these operations, but there was nothing to conceal. Mr. Labouchere said the real fault was attempting to do the whole thing on the cheap. He regarded the whole matter of Uganda as an object lesson against our meddling in these tropical countries. He was for leaving Uganda bag and baggage, and he supported the reduction of the vote. Mr. H. M. Stanley desired to explode the allega- tion that the administration of the Congo was disastrous. He regretted the slow rate at which the railway was being made. He did not wonder that the people in Uganda became discontented, but once the rebellious Soudanese were settled, there should be no further difficulty. The Committee divided: For the reduction, 66; against, 185. HOUSE OF LORDS.—FHBKUAHT 28. LONDOK MANAGEMENT. On the motion to go into Committee on the Metro- polis Management Acts Amendment (By-Laws) IBill, the Earl of Morlev said he thought the bill was likely, in. his opinion, to be somewhat oppressive, in the case of every small alteration to drains in a house or building, a plan and section of the proposed alteration must be sent to the office of the local sur- veyor, and they knew what local surveyors were. Viscount Cross considered that the bill should go to a Standing Committee, where it could be minutely examined into. The House then went into Com- mittee, and the bill passed through, with certain amendments. HOUSE OF COMMONS. LONDON IMPROVEMENTS. At the time of private business there was a short discussion on the order for the second reading of the London Improvements Bill. Sir H. Fowler moved, but subsequently withdrew, a motion for the rejection of the bill,, his contention being that the construction of the new street between Holborn and the Strand, which was sanctioned by the measure, ought not to be proceeded with before the demolition of the houses between the Strand and Holywell-street had been effected. The Strand improvement, he maintained, ought not to be deferred. Mr. Stuart explained that the County Council hoped to save a considerable sum of money if priority was obtained for the scheme which this bill sanctioned, and after remarks from Mr. R. G. Webster, Mr. Burns, and Mr. J. W. Lowther, who hoped the progress of the measure would not be impeded, the second reading was agreed to. SEA FISHERIES. Sir E. Durning-Lawrence moved & resolution de- claring that, in the interests of trade and of com- munication by sea between places on the coast, and for the protection and development of sea fisheries and for the safety of those engaged in them, the Government ought to take immediate steps to ex- tend the existing provision of piers and harbours by facilitating the acquisition of powers to construct or improve such works in the United Kingdom. The resolution also laid down that grants of public money ought to be made to assist the construction of harbours when such assistance was desirable. Captain Phillpots seconded the motion, and after Sir W. Wedderburn, Sir W. Gull, and Mr. Lewis had spoken in support of it, Mr. Ritchie explained that it would not be possible to cheapen the present procedure with regard to applications for powers to build harbours, as the cost was so small. The policy of making grants, which the Government were asked to adopt, would be dangerous, for it might result in waste and extravagance, and it had been rejected on many occa- sions, the policy of making loans being considered preferable. The Treasury was now prepared to make loans for the purposes referred to in the resolution at 2f per cent. upon the security of the tolls and rates. While adhering to the present practice, he should be prepared in exceptional cases to make representations to the Treasury, with a view to obtaining special financial assistance. But before he could make such representations, it must be shown that a harbour Was necessary to a locality and that the locality was not in a position to construct it, and it must be understood, if a grant was made, that some organisation should maintain the harbour after construction. Mr. Crombie, Captain Sinclair, and other members having made some observations, The motion was withdrawn. COUNTY COURTS. Mr. Monk proposed, and Mr. Brynmor Jonea seconded, a resolution affirming that the time had come when the Government should initiate or facili- tate legislation having for its object a considerable ex- tension of the jurisdiction of county-courts. The Attorney-General, in resisting the motion, pointed out that the burden already imposed upon the county-courts was very heavy and that it was un- desirable to add to it. No practicable scheme, he urged, hafi#ver been submitted for effecting the pur- pose now advocated, and in those circumstances the Government could not consent to tie their hands by accepting this abstract resolution. Sir R. Reid held that the common law jurisdiction of the county-court judges ought to be extended in the interests of the middle classes. Mr. Gedge also spoke, and then a division was taken, and the motion was rejected by 98 to 69. THE MERCANTILE MARINE. Mr. R. G. Webster next proposed a motion expres- sing regret, that the proportion of British seamen in the mercantile marine is rapidly decreasing, and that pilotage certificates are being issued in increasing num- bers in British waters to foreigners. The hon. member asked the Government to inquire into the causes of this state of things with a view to finding some remedy. Mr. C. McArthur seconded, and Mr. Havelock Wilson and Mr. Burns supported the motion, insist- ing that British seamen ought to be better paid and better treated. Mr. Gibson Bowles denied that the motion represented correctly the position of the mercantile marine, but. joined previous speakers in deploring the fact that so many pilotage certifi- cates were issued to foreigners. Mr. Lowles, who described the question which had been raised as one of national importance, hoped the President of the Board of Trade would consider the resolution favourably. Mr. W. Allan urged the Government to take measures to induce boys to train for the mercantile marine, and Sir R. Penrose Fitz- Gerald reminded the House that, in the opinion of the committee by whom the subject had been con- sidered, there was no reason for refusing pilotage certificates to foreigners. Mr. Banbury, Dr. Clark, and Mr. Maddison took part in the discussion, and then Mr. Ritchie replied. He agreed with hon. mem- bers that every legitimate effort ought to be made to man British ships with British sailors. He denied that our seamen were badly treated. They were, he declared, better treated now than ever before. Enumerating the steps taken by the Government to improve the position of sea- men, he referred to the plan for continuous dis- charge notes, which would assist capable men to obtain employment, and to the efforts made to keep sailors out of the hands of crimps. Touch- ing upon the question of the training of boys, he expressed a belief that the scheme introduced last year in connection with the reconstitution of the light dues would have satisfactory results and that the number of boys carried by merchant vessels would rapidly and largely increase. Replying to the question why foreign sailors were preferred to British seamen by many owners and masters, he said that the information with which he had been supplied was to the effect that foreigners were, as a rule, more sober and amenable to discipline. He shared the concern of hon. members at the increasing number of foreigners employed, for in the event of war the results might be serious but there could be no legislation to com- pel owners to employ British sailors. He should be ready to consider remedial proposals, if any could be suggested, and he did not oppose the motion. The motion was agreed to. The report of Supply was agreed to, and the House adjourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS.—MARCH I. EDUCATION OF CHILDREN BILL. The sitting was occupied with the debate upon the second reading of Mr. Robson's Education of Chil- dren Bill, which raises the age at which children shall be permitted to leave school, from 11 to 12. Pointing out that this proposal was in accord with the benevolent intentions of the Berlin Conference of 1890, and that in France the education of the child was now compulsorily continued to the age of 12, whilst in Germany it was carried even further, the hon. member asked wheher it could be asserted by the mover of the amendment on the paper that the poverty of the working classes was an argument to be advanced more particularly in this country than in France or Germany. He urged that under the existing law in England the children could be with- drawn from school before they were capable of understanding what they were taught. Especially was the present system futile when applied to children who had to work as half-timers in Lanca- shire cotton mills. It produced half-timers who were stunted both mentally and physically. Mr. Kenyon seconded. Mr. G. Whitelev, as a Lancashire member, moved the rejection of the bill. on the ground mainly that the half-time system was slowly dying of itself. He also urged that the effect of the present bill would be to place many a Lancashire home on short commons," and to inflict suffering upon the children themselves. Major Rasch, who seconded the amendment, said that the agricultural labourer would be strongly opposed to the bill. The second reading was then supported by Mr. Buxton, Sir F. S. Powell, and Mr. Duckworth. Mr. Jeffreys asked for the exemption of rural districts from the bill, and Sir E. Lees in- sisted that the manufacturing districts of Lancashire would not favour any measure of the kind. Reviewing the debate, Sir J. Gorst said that the experience of educationists and the figures of the Education Department were entirely against the system as it now existed. The children who left school between the ages of 11 and 12 were about 23,000, while those who became half-timers between those agea amounted to probably about 50,000. The whole number were scattered over the great towns and the manufacturing villages of Lancashire ancf Yorkshire, and scarcely a single case be- longed to an agricultural labourer's family. By the change now proposed the parents would lose the wages of the children •"orkin^ half- time between eleven and twelve, but, z-, educa- tional level would be reached, and a better physique would be attained. We were practically pledged upon this subject by the exchange of views at the Berlin Conference. Mr. Asquith supported the bill, which was opposed, however, by several members in succession before the House divided. The numbers came out at 317 for the second reading, as against 59 —majority 258. The announcement of the figures was received with Opposition cheers.

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