(1) The proposal to make the entire pecuniary aid rendered to a school dependent upon the result of the examination in reading, writing, and arithmetic of each child, eligible according to a prescribed attendance test, is regarded in itself to be highly objectionable; while the contemplated provisions relating to the attendance qualifi cation, the classification by age, the application of the same standard of acquirement to schools, whether for boys or girls, in various and widely differing localities, the restriction to one examination of children above eleven years of age, and the virtual exclusion of infant schools and scholars, render the proposal alike unpractical and unjust. No common standard could be applied to all schools; and the practical limitation of the examination to these elementary subjects could not fail to prove a grievous discouragement both to teachers and school managers.

(2) The changes consequent on the proposed substitution of one capitation grant for all previous forms of aid appear full of difficulty and disaster to the entire system. The withdrawal of the augmentation and gratuity payments from certificated teachers, involving, as it would, the violation of a virtual and mutual compact, has not only a pecuniary but a moral bearing, the possible effect of which awakens serious apprehension. To managers of schools the weekly payment in advance of a staff of pupil. teachers would, in some cases, constitute an insuperable barrier to Government inspection and aid, often where most needed; in other cases, the uncertainty of the pecuniary return for the expenditure required as a condition of aid, would prove extremely vexatious and oppressive. The modifications relating to pupil-teachers, the terms of their engagement, and the arrangements for their special instruction, must lead to frequent changes, and consequent loss of adequate teaching power in the schools, and operate most unfavourably on the qualifications and after-course of those who enter the training colleges.

(3) The restriction placed on the training colleges as to the number of Queen's scholars, and the relinquishment of the lectureship plan and payment will, it is believed, prove fatal to some training institutions, and must act injuriously on all, not only in depriving them of funds, which it will be difficult to substitute from other sources, but in lowering the standard and shortening the period of training. The proposed equalization of the certificates, whether for students of one or two years' standing, would remove a most healthy form of stimulus attached to the present system.

Immediately after the publication of the Revised Code, your Memorialists took steps to ascertain, through the managers of schools, the probable effect of its operation, and have obtained returns from nearly 600 British Schools under Government inspection. Apart from the very heavy financial defalcation that would result from its introduction, they have received concurrent and abundant evidence in support of the opinions and objections now respectfully presented to your Lordships,

Believing that the Revised Code, if carried out, would inflict a wrong on certificated teachers, greatly deteriorate the value of the pupil-teacher system, injuriously affect the supply of well-trained teachers, and seriously throw back the progress of elementary education, your Memorialists pray your Lordships to reconsider its provisions, with a view to such modifications of the existing Code as, while economizing the public grant, shall really improve and extend the present system,

and at the same time so stimulate school managers and teachers, as to ensure the best possible educational results under the diversified circumstances of their several localities.

On behalf of the Committee,

Borough Road,

November 22nd, 1861.

HENRY EDMUND GURNEY, Treasurer.
EDWARD D. J. WILKS, Secretary.

Representations of similar purport have also been made by the Committee of the National Society, by the Wesleyan Education Committee, and by large bodies of clergy and school managers.

LOCAL INTELLIGENCE.

NORTHERN DISTRICT.-During the quarter Mr. Davis has visited ninety-five schools in various parts of the Northern and North Midland Districts, and has at the same time attended to the financial interests of the Society. He has also conducted three public examinations, presided at two teachers' meetings, and held conferences with the committees of several schools.

WESTERN DISTRICT.-In the West of England, and South Wales, Mr. Baxter has visited forty-three towns and villages on business relating to public education. He has also visited seventy-four schools for the purposes of inspection and advice. Twelve public meetings, and eight public school examinations, have had assistance from him during the past quarter.

NEATH.-The annual meeting of the supporters and managers of these schools took place on the 19th of September, when about 200 persons took tea together, previous to the public meeting. The Report read by the secretary was a very gratifying one, and indicated the satisfaction felt by the committee in the present prosperous state of the schools. The meeting was afterwards addressed by Mr. Baxter, and by several gentlemen of the neighbourhood.

YSTRADGUNLAIS.-A new and good school-room has just been provided for a new British School at this place, and was formally opened on September 25th. A numerously attended meeting was held in the afternoon in the school-room, and another in the evening, in an adjoining chapel, which was very crowded. The proceedings were conducted with great spirit, and the people entered warmly into the enterprise. The meeting was addressed by the Society's inspectors and others, in Welsh and English, and must have produced good results.

VELIN VOEL.-A public educational meeting has lately been held in this village, which was attended very numerously, and passed off with much enthusiasm. Addresses in Welsh and English, by the Society's representatives and others, were listened to with great attention, and received with indications of interest and appreciation. The school premises here have recently been enlarged by the addition of a classroom, and otherwise improved, and the school is recovering from its depression.

SWANSEA.-A new and excellent room, capable of accommodating 220 children, has just been opened as a British School by the Baptist congregation at Mount Pleasant Chapel, in a thickly peopled part of the town. An inaugural meeting has recently been held there, at which H. H. Vivian, Esq., M.P., presided, having

place was filled by the class of people for whose children the school is intended. CAMBORNE. The annual examination of the Boys' British School has proved a successful this year as on any former occasion. Owing to the limited accommoda tion of the school-room, the meeting was held in the Market Hall, where abou 1,000 people are said to have collected, to listen to the children's examination. The chair was occupied by Dr. George Smith, F.S.A., by whom, and others, the meeting was addressed.

FALMOUTH.-The boys' school, which has so long done good service to this town, has encountered severe difficulties during the past year, from which it is again rising. The annual meeting, and examination of boys and girls, called forth not less interest than on former occasions, whilst the attendance was larger than usual. The meeting was addressed by Charles Fox, Esq., Robert Werr Fox, Esq., Mr. Baxter, and others.

TRURO.-A large number of parents and the managers of the schools took tea together in the girls' school-room, after which the company adjourned to the boys' school, where a public examination of the elder boys and girls was conducted by the Society's Inspector. The children generally acquitted themselves to the satisfaction of all concerned, and with much credit to their teachers, as well as to themselves. The assembly was addressed by Mr. Baxter, and by other gentlemen.

CONSTANTINE.-The usual annual meeting has just taken place here, and after an examination of the children, addresses were delivered to the parents by Charles Fox, Esq., and Mr. Baxter. The new class-rooms, toward the cost of which the parents of the children have contributed liberally, are in course of erection, and will prove of great advantage for the instruction of the younger children.

MOUNT CHARLES.—This village school is doing well, and proving itself of great service to the locality. A public examination, in the presence of the parents and supporters, showed a very decided improvement since last year, and reflected credit on the energetic and painstaking teacher, and on the promoters who take so warm an interest in the school. The meeting was the largest which has been collected here, and showed that the people, as well as the children, have been benefited by the presence of this useful institution. The meeting was addressed by Joshua Treffry, Esq., and by Mr. Baxter.

LAUNCESTON. Since last year's meeting the boys' school-room has been refloored, and otherwise thoroughly repaired, and the school has been placed under Government inspection. The annual meeting has just taken place, when a public examination of the boys and girls was conducted by the Society's Inspector in the afternoon. After a public tea, a numerously attended meeting was held in the Subscription Rooms, which passed off with much spirit. Sermons were preached in the various chapels of the town on the previous Sunday, in aid of the school funds, and were responded to with liberality.

ILFRACOMBE.-The annual public examination of this school has recently been held. The attendance at a public tea was very large, and the room was crowded at the examination with an attentive and greatly interested audience. No previous occasion of the kind has proved more successful, and the prospects of the school are full of encouragement to both teacher and managers.

BIDEFORD.-The managers of this school availed themselves of the visit of the Society's Inspector to hold a public examination of the children, which took place in the Town Hall. The examination proved very successful, and elicited frequent expressions of approval from a large audience. The meeting was afterwards addressed by Mr. W. S. Booker, the chairman, Mr. Baxter, the Rev. Dr. Thomson, Master

of the Grammar School, and Messrs. Clarkson, and Wiltshire. The proceedings were closed by the distribution of numerous prizes to the most regular and punctual scholars.

SOUTHERN DISTRICT.-During the past quarter Mr. Vardy has visited fifty-four cities, towns, and villages, inspected eighty-one schools, conducted four examinations, attended three public meetings, and held several conferences with committees.

EVESHAM BRITISH SCHOOLS.-The annual examination of the children in these schools, and the public meeting of the parents of the scholars and the supporters of the schools, were recently held. The proceedings commenced with a teameeting, held in the boys' room, which was tastefully decorated. In the unavoidable absence of Edward Holland, Esq., M.P., the Rev. J. H. Anderson presided. The chairman, after a few preliminary remarks expressive of his desire that a layman had filled the position he occupied, and of his approval of the character of the schools, called upon Mr. Vardy to proceed with the examination of the children, which embraced reading exercises, recitations, and geography. Mr. Baker, of Chipping Norton, then examined in grammar. This was followed by an inspection of copy-books and needlework. Mr. Vardy then resumed the examination with exercises in English and sacred history, and Mr. Baker concluded with mental arithmetic. The exercises were very interesting, and the scholars exhibited general proficiency in the subjects. At the close of the examination, the examiners expressed themselves highly pleased with the satisfactory manner in which the children had acquitted themselves. The Report was then read, after which addresses were delivered by Messrs. Conn, Masters, Harrison, Gregory, Vardy, and the Rev. A. Davey. The National Anthem having been sung, the proceedings terminated with a vote of thanks to the chairman.

WAREHAM.-The anniversary meeting and public examination of this school was held on Wednesday, October 16th, under the presidency of the Mayor, James Panton, Esq. The room, as usual, was tastefully decorated with flowers, evergreens, and mottoes. The public tea was very largely attended. The examination was conducted by Mr. Vardy, Mr. Holmes, of Athelhampton, and Mr. Sherrin, of Dorchester; it embraced the usual subjects, interspersed with recitations and singing, in all of which the children acquitted themselves very satisfactorily. After the examination the company was addressed by the Chairman, Messrs. Vardy and Pike, the Revs. M. Davison and N. B. Randall, M.A., the proceedings terminating with the National Anthem.

WEM, SHROPSHIRE.-In October last, a deputation of the old pupils of the Wem British School waited upon Mr. Taylor, the master, to present him with a testimonial, as a mark of respect and acknowledgment of the advantages derived from his instructions. Mr. Harper said he had great pleasure, on behalf of a number of old school. fellows, to present Mr. Taylor with an address, accompanied with a gold watch. He trusted Mr. Taylor would look more at the motive which actuated those for whose welfare he had so zealously laboured, than at the value of the gift. Mr. Harper then read an address, which was strongly expressive of the gratitude and affection of the old pupils. It was beautifully engrossed on vellum, and signed by a considerable number of those who had contributed. Mr. Harper then handed Mr. Taylor the address, accompanied with a very handsome gold watch in a morocco case, and Mr. Taylor made a suitable reply. The deputation then withdrew.

the Resident Superintendent, will be read with interest :

"Calcutta.

"MY DEAR SIR,-I have many times had a wish to write to you, though I have not attempted its gratification till the present time; but I have never forgotten my very pleasant and useful connexion with you and Dr. Cornwell, at the Borough Road.

"It is now nearly fifteen years ago since I first entered the Institution. I am very glad that such a privilege was permitted me. It is true, within fifteen months of leaving the Institution I deserted the ranks of the school teachers, but from the termination of my college course till the present time I have had much to do with schools of one sort and another, and have found my training of great service, and feel very grateful to my old tutors and the committee, to whom I am indebted for it.

"The British and Foreign School Society is pretty well represented here now. Mr. Dakin is at Serampore, and Mr. Johnson, of the London Mission, is in this city, within one mile of me.

"We do not often meet-not, perhaps, more than once. month-but we feel that we have an additional bond of union and sympathy, from the fact of our being alumni of the same Institution.

"I should also say that my wife was trained at the 'Borough.' She remembers you very well, and with much regard and esteem; though probably you have forgotten her long ago.

"I am secretary to the Benevolent Institution, which, as probably you know, consists of a boys' and girls' school, giving a free education to the poor Christian children of Calcutta, most of them being Roman Catholics.

"The Government gives us about £250 per annum, and, with some difficulty, about as much is obtained from the public; but this barely meets the expenditure, and we are obliged to pinch in every way. We are now more than £100

in debt.

"The school is really a British School. Its first master, Mr. Penney, was one of the most successful teachers ever sent from the Normal School. His name is still remembered with affection by hundreds in this country, and the poor people persist in calling the school' The Penney School.'"

In the Court of Exchequer, an action was recently brought by Joseph Bentley, the manager of a so-called Society for Promoting National Education, against a gentleman named Brady. The action was for an alleged libel, Mr. Brady having issued a number of letters, asserting that no such Society had any bona fide existence, or that Bentley was himself the Society, and that the subscriptions which had been obtained were applied by the plaintiff to his own use. After a lengthened investigation, in the course of which it transpired that the collectors were allowed to keep half of the amount which they obtained; that the names of many noble and influential persons had been printed as patrons without their consent; and that the operations of the "Society," on the plaintiff's own showing, were limited to the engagement of himself as inspector and lecturer, and to the payment of his expenses; the Judge summed up, and after instructing the jury as to the law of libel, left it to the jury to say whether the matter charged as libellous was a libel, and, if so, whether it was true. Having referred to the prospectus, his lordship remarked that the system of sending two collectors to people's houses to obtain subscriptions, half of which they took themselves, was perfectly new to him, and should act as a warning to others who might be thus solicited. The jury would say whether the real object had been carried out, as alleged by Mr. Bentley, or whether he had printed the names of certain noblemen and gentlemen, and, under colour of their names, had obtained donations which he had put into his own pocket. The jury deliberated a few minutes in the box, and then returned a verdict for the defendant.