The Minister of Public Instruction

Abstract

ENGLISH politicians have peculiar ways of giving us what we want. For some time every one has felt, as it were, by a sort of instinct, that we shall at last have what all other civilised nations have long known to be indispensable,—a Minister of Public Instruction. Out of Parliament this has been on all sides spoken of as a matter of course. But in Parliament it is different. When the inevitable time comes for it to be spoken of there, it must be carefully avoided, or only coyly glanced at, by those who have thoroughly determined to give it, for etiquette imposes on them the necessity of appearing to yield to external importunity. A very pretty example of this parliamentary coquetry occurred last week on the first reading of the new Education Bill. Mr. Forster displayed no little ingenuity in avoiding the slightest allusion to a provision which everyone of his hearers knew to be absolutely essential to the success of the great measure he was introducing. He said, “The first thing that would suggest itself probably to the minds of all hon. members would be a system of organisation throughout the country,” knowing perfectly well that “the first thing” that must suggest itself would be a central authority to create and direct that organisation. But the suggestion must not come from a Minister. It was not long, however, in coming from other quarters. Sir John Pakington, as a leading member of the Opposition, and other speakers, promptly supplied the deficiency, and the proposal was received with “ministerial cheers.” All men know that the meaning of this amusing, and no doubt most necessary, little comedy is, that we may now hope soon to have a Minister of Public Instruction. That being the case it may not be amiss therefore that the probable scope of the duties connected with such an office should be briefly considered.