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CHAPTER XL 



EDUCATION. 



THE proceedings of the Chambers in connection with 

 National Education somewhat overlap that of the subject of 

 Local Taxation, and inasmuch as the cost of education in rural 

 and semi-rural districts has fallen more heavily on agricul- 

 turists than on any other class of the community, it is not 

 remarkable that education has not been an altogether popular 

 subject with farmers ; the wonder is that they have not been 

 actively hostile to it. 



The very earliest discussions which took place show the 

 overlapping mentioned above, and the attitude which has 

 been generally taken up by members of the Chambers. 



The first debate took place on 18th June, 1867, and the 

 Annual Report for that year contains the following paragraph : 



" The Employment of Women and Children in Agriculture, and 

 Proposed Legislation connected therewith. After a practical dis- 

 cussion a resolution was passed sympathising with efforts for an 

 improved education of the labouring classes, but declaring Mr. 

 Fawcett's Bill to be impracticable and inadequate to the require- 

 ments of rural districts, and recommending a postponement of 

 legislation on the subject until the Royal Commission shall have 

 published their report. It is not arrogating any achievement 

 to the Central Chamber to say that such a strong expression of 

 opinion by representatives of large bodies of agriculturists in so 

 many parts of the kingdom contributed to the withdrawal of 

 Mr. Fawcett's Bill, and that the able and outspoken debates in 

 various provincial Chambers upon the subject of agricultural 

 gangs did much toward securing a mild and wise measure for the 

 suppression of the evils complained of." 



The next discussion was on 3rd March, 1868, when resolu- 

 tions were passed sympathising with efforts for improving 

 the education of the labouring classes ; approving the exclu- 



