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GOSSIP FOR THE LADIES.

HODIE HINTS.

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;i HISTORY OF GLAMORGANSHIRE.

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A LESSON FROM BELFAST.

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COOK AND KITCHENER. -

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jEDUCATION BILL CONTROVERSY.

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j EDUCATION BILL CONTROVERSY. Writer Adduces Historical Parallels. Some Telling Facts for its Opponents. Mr. J. Hopkins, Penmaen. writes:—To me the political excitement of the Nonconformists against this Bill is like an echo of the fierce sectarian conflict that was waged round the establishment of the Corporation schools of Liverpool some sixty years ago. in which, as a young Liberal cadet, I first took part. It was a beneficent outcome of the Municipal Reform Act, for educating the children of the people on the same basis and principles of the National Society, that the opening of school duties should be by reading the Bible, and as f-t- as I recollect the teachers were to repeat the Church catechism. Now t.,i s roused the bitter animosity of the Irish Roman Catholics and all sections of the Nonconformists, from Dr. Raffles, the head cleric of the Indepen- dents. equally with the Rev. James Mar^ineau of the Cnitarians, and with the exception of the Wesleyans (a very powerful political force in Lancashire) who supported the religious views of the Church party, that education without religion was the "Apotheosis of Sa- tan" as resulting in "Intellect without God." The great, contention was that "All educa- tion was solely a parental and religious duty." and that the Corporation, as a secular and political institution, had nothing whatever to de with education. In proof of this action on the general part of the Nonconformists, it is only necessary to refer to "Lord John Russell's statement when tirst introducing a Government Education Grant ( £ 100.000) on the estimates to Parlia- ment. April 15, 1847, when lie declared "All is well, the Wesleyans have accepted the min- utes ;their opposition would have been disas- trous." If they had joined the other dissen- ters. all would have been confusion, for Par- liament will not accept purely secular educa- tion for the sole national education." j And the same action took place in 1870, when Mr. Winterbotham, declared. "There is a, spirit of watchful jealousy on the part of the dissenters which makes them prone to take offence." TIms, without recognition of the voluntary religious schools as part of Na- tional Elementary Education, the great Act of 1870 would have been postponed, if not totally abandoned. .N-ow i,,R not the same spirit, the same ac- tie-n. manifest on the part of political Non- conformity on the present educational basis, and if successful it will exactly repeat the con- istquences in postponing if not defeating that better edicition of the vast majority of the children of the people, which arc still in vol- untary religious schools. Established Church, Roman Catholics, Weslevan Methodists, let me shortly state what took place between 1843 and 1847 1843.-February 28.—Lord Shaftebury, tiic-11 Lord Ashley, brought in a Bill for Na- tional Education. March 8.—Sir James Graham, Home Secre- tary, introduced as by promise, education clauses into Factory Act; for restricting lic-urs of labour for women and young ehil- dren in mills and mines, by which education was to be managed by clergymen and church. wardens and four elected trustees in each paiisli. March 11.—Owing to the violent opposition of dissenters who presented petitions said t<- contain a millions signatures ('!) tiie Homo Secretary brought in an amendeci clause re- stricting all doctrinal teaching, Lord Shaftes- bury sfating "that lie would be content with the Bible alone being read to the children j and that God w;,ukl have compassion on our infirmities. June 16--Sir Robert Peel, to Lord Shaftes- Ijitiv "It j" but a sorry and lamentable tri- umph that elissent- has achieved" and on mov- ing the committal of the Factory Harbour Bill said that the poor children were the real sufferers, and s s far as present appearances would be consigned to an eternity of ignor- ance and overwork." July 31.-Uovermnent were compelled to withdraw the Bill, and although they pro- mised to re-introduce it next Session, yet it was seven years before a Facto^" Labour Bill for women and children could be carried, and nearly 30 years before any scheme of national elementary education could be again brought forward-in 1870. Now it is very certain that all the political forces of Nonconformity are and will be brought forward to defeat the present effort to remove the confused systems overlapping each other, and entirely wanting in organ- ised relation to the high scientific national education which our great industrial and com- mcrcial rivals are said to have for their ad- vantage over us-although I believe that the national benefit from any alteration in educa- ticnal matters is grossly exaggerated by the "organised bodies of teachers, masters, as well as professors, who naturally wish to elevate themselves into a "well-paid" buerau- crat-ic civil service." and I am also pretty certain from the past history of our Swansea Education Boards, elementary and secondary, that "local authorities" are niost indifferent, and often incapable media for their position. a question I have often discussed locally. and that the true cause of any superiority of the German. French, or American industrial com- peition of Great Britain lies principally in all three having "highly protected home mar- kets," and their national and Governmental support of their consuls, their subsidised steamers, railways, and even by placing their war vessels at the service of merchants and manufacturers as "commission sample offices," which I have personally seen on the coasts of South America. Not- only is this Govern- ment supoort of their own Nationals (trade foreign) given, but the military discipline and lower wages of their industrial classes is a far weightier element in their competion with British industry than education.

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\ New Swansea Shipping- Company…

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FOOTBALL NOTES.

Llandovery College v Swansea…

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TELEGRAPH MESSENGERS.

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CHAMBER OF TRADE QUESTION.

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