This is not an extravagant Government ; that is quite
clear. It promised to be one, but whenever it is asked for cash it is as close-fisted as Mr. Lowe. On Tuesday, Mr. Meldon, Member for Kildare, asked for a little more money for the Irish school teachers,. and made out an almost irresistible case. There are 9,000 teachers, of whom only 2,500 are assistants, who receive an average of £42 a, year each. They have no pensions, only gratuities of £10 after ten, years' service, no residences, and no hope of prizes. In other words, theyare paid a good deal less than Lincolnshire day-labourers. One- would think that Conservatives, of all men, would see that a very- sensitive class entrusted with such a function, forced to expend 150t on training, and then left hungry, must become disaffected, and, that is actually the case. We are assured there is not a class in, the country so anti-English as the school teachers. The Government,. however, refused all redress, at least till another year had passed, although the teachers' terms are moderate enough. They ask £1 a week for the ordinary teachers, £1 10s. for the second class, and £2 for the first, salaries all less than those paid in England,. where, besides, one-fourth of the first class have residences. Home-rule would give these men no more, but rather less, but we do not wonder that they cry for it.
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