Mr. Jackson's Irish Education Bill was introduced on Monday, and
was very well received in the House. It will apply compulsion for the first time to Irish children in the towns and the urban districts, but will leave the application of compulsion to the rural districts to the County Councils, when established under the Local Government Bill. Children between the ages of six and fourteen will be obliged to attend, and it will be made illegal to employ children at all under the age of eleven, and between eleven and fourteen unless they have a certificate of having passed a certain standard. Ireland is to have £90,000 this year under the grant for Free Education, and it is to go to increase the teachers' pensions. In future there will be £200,000, of which part will go to increase the teachers' salaries, a little will be given to improve the position of the smallest schools in Ireland, while about one-half will be spent as a capitation-grant. All schools in which the fees are not more than 6s. for each child per annum, will be made free schools. The debate on the Bill was adjourned, but it was obvious that it impressed even the Irish Members very favourably.
