MEDICAL INSPECTION OF CHILDREN 139 



July, in reply to questions, Mr. Asquith said definitely that 

 it was the intention of the Government to introduce the Bill 

 before the recess, but it did not make its appearance this year. 



As the Budget made no reference to local taxation, twenty- 

 three members put down amendments to the second reading 

 of the Finance Bill, on behalf of the Chamber regretting 

 that the Bill made no provision for the relief of local taxation 

 in respect of national services, and strong support to the 

 amendment was promised from -both sides of the House ; 

 but it was precluded from being moved, time being only allowed 

 for one Opposition amendment, and precedence being given 

 to one put down, on behalf of the Front Opposition Bench, 

 on tariff reform. A good deal of feeling was displayed at this 

 frustration of the Chamber's effort to bring this question 

 to a head, and on a report presented by the Committee to a 

 subsequent meeting of the Council, an amendment was 

 moved, which was practically a vote of censure on the Member 

 for the Ashford Division, and it was carried by a small 

 majority. The Chairman of the Committee (Sir Luke White, 

 M.P.), however, acting in accordance with the custom of the 

 Chamber, in view of the small majority, declined to accept 

 the amendment as an addition to the report, so the report 

 was consequently referred back, and the matter dropped. 

 During the debate on this report, an objection was raised to 

 the Chamber accepting a motion which was a vote of censure 

 on the Front Opposition Bench, and the belief was expressed 

 that a similar case had never occurred before. It is extremely 

 probable that this was the first time such a suggestion had 

 been made, but it marks the decided growth of the feeling 

 in favour of breaking away from old traditions, and the 

 tendency of agriculturists to take their own line. 



The Education (Administrative Provisions) Act of 1907 

 was put into operation, this year, so far as the question of the 

 medical inspection of elementary school children was con- 

 cerned. The Chamber made ineffectual protests against this 

 charge being put upon the rates, as it was estimated that this 

 inspection would cost local authorities nearly a million pounds 

 per annum. 



