the nature and amount of efficient technical or manual instruction (f) If any question arises as to the sufficiency of the provision made under this section, or as to the qualification of any school or institution to participate in any such provision, or as to the amount to be alloted to each school or institution, or as to the extent to which, or mode in which, the Local Authority is to be represented on the governing body of any such school or institution, the question shall be determined by the Department of Science and Art: Provided that no such provision, out of any rate raised in pursuance of this Act, shall be made in aid of technical or manual instruction in any school conducted for private profit; and (g) The amount of the late to be raised in any one year by a local authority for the purposes of this Act shall not exceed the sum of one penny in the pound. (2) A Local Authority may for the purposes of this Act appoint a committee consisting either wholly or partly of members of the Local Authority, and may delegate to any such committee any powers exerciseable by the authority under this Act, except the power of raising a rate or borrowing money. (3) Nothing in this Act shall be construed so as to interfere with any existing powers of School Boards with respect to the provision of technical and manual instruction. Provision for Entrance Examination. 2. It shall be competent for any School Board or Local Authority, should they think fit, to institute an entrance examination for persons desirous of attending technical schools or classes under their management or to which they contribute. Parliamentary Grants in Aid of Technical Instruction. 3. The conditions on which Parliamentary grants may be made in aid of technical or manual instruction shall be those contained in the minutes of the Department of Science and Art in force for the time being. Provisions as to Local Authorities. 4. (1) For the purposes of this Act the expression "Local Authority" shall mean the council of any County or Borough, and any Urban Sanitary Authority within the meaning of the Public Health Acts. (2) The local rate for the purposes of this Act shall be- (a) In the case of a County Council, the county fund; (b) In the case of a Borough Council, the borough fund or borough rate; (c) In the case of an Urban Sanitary Authority not being a Borough Council, the district fund and general district rate, or other fund or rate applicable to the general purposes of the Public Health Acts; (3) A County Council may charge any expenses incurred by them under this Act on any part of their county for the requirements of which such expenses have been incurred. (4) A Local Authority may borrow for the purposes of this Act- (a) In the case of a County Council, in manner provided by the Local Government Act, 1888 (51 & 52 Vict. c. 41): (b) In the case of a Borough Council, as if the purposes of this Act were purposes for which they are authorised by section one hundred and six of the Municipal Corporations Act, 1882 (45 & 46 Vict. c. 50) to borrow: (c) In the case of an Urban Sanitary Authority not being a Borough Council, as if the purposes of this Act were purposes for which they are authorised to borrow under the Public Health Acts. Audit of Accounts of Aided Schools. (5) Where the managers of a school or institution receive aid from a Local Authority in pursuance of this Act, they shall render to the Local Authority such accounts relating to the application of the money granted in aid, and those accounts shall be verified and audited in such manner as the Local Authority may require, and the managers shall be personally liable to refund to the Local Authority any money granted under this Act, and not shown to be properly applied for the purposes for which it was granted. Audit of Accounts of Urban Sanitary Authority. 6. The accounts of the receipts and expenditure of an Urban Sanitary Authority under this Act, shall be audited in like manner and with the like incidents and consequences, as the accounts of their receipts and expenditure under the Public Health Act, 1875. Application of the Act to Ireland. 7. In the application of this Act to Ireland- (1) The expression "Local Authority" shall mean the Urban or Rural Sanitary Authority, as the case may be, within the meaning of the Public Health (Ireland) Act, 1878. (2) The local rate for the purposes of this Act shall be-- (a) In the case of an Urban Sanitary Authority, the rate or fund applicable to the expenses incurred or payable by such authority in the execution of the Public Health (Ireland) Act, 1878, under the provisions of the said Act; (b) In the case of a Rural Sanitary Authority, the rate or rates out of which special expenses incurred in respect of any contributory place or places are payable under the provisions of the said Act. (3) A Local Authority may borrow for the purposes of this Act as if the purposes of this Act were purposes for which the Sanitary Authority are authorised to borrow under the Public Health (Ireland) Act, 1878. (4) Any reference to the Public Health Act, 1875, shall be construed as a reference to the Public Health (Ireland) Act, 1878. Meaning of Technical and Manual Instruction. 8. In this Act-The expression "technical instruction" shall mean instruction in the principles of science and art applicable to industries, and in the application of special branches of science and art to specific industries or employments. It shall not include teaching the practice of any trade or industry or employment, but, save as aforesaid, shall include instruction in the branches of science and art with respect to which grants are for the time being made by the Department of Science and Art, and any other form of instruction (including modern languages and commercial and agricultural subjects), which may for the time being be sanctioned by that Department by a minute laid before Parliament and made on the representation of a Local Authority that such a form of instruction is required by the circumstances of its district. The expression "manual instruction" shall mean instruction in the use of tools, processes of agriculture, and modelling in clay, wood, or other material. Extent of Act. 9. This Act shall not extend to Scotland. Short Title. 10. This Act may be cited as the Technical Instruction Act, 1889. The following notes, which may be useful, are inserted by permission of the National Association for the Promotion of Technical and Secondary Education, 14 Dean's Yard, Westminster : NOTES ON THE WORKING OF THE TECHNICAL INSTRUCTION ACT. 1. The Local Authority in a municipal borough is the Town Council. Elsewhere it is the County Council or Urban Sanitary Authority. Either the County Council or the Urban Sanitary Authority can work the Act in urban sanitary districts. It is probable, however, that the County Council will only take upon itself the initiative under special circumstances, except after consultation and in concurrence with the various Urban Authorities, unless it finds that one or more of them neglect to make adequate provision in their districts. The contribution by any one Local Authority must not exceed the proceeds of a penny rate. In cases where two Local Authorities make contributions in the same district (e.g., the County Council and a Local Board within its district), each Authority may levy a penny rate, so that the possible total contribution may exceed the proceeds of a penny rate.* 2. No special resolution of the Local Authority is necessary in order to adopt the Act. No poll of the ratepayers is necessary. 3. Two alternatives seem to be contemplated by the Act: (A) The School Board, or some local institution, takes the initiative by moving the Local Authority to adopt the Act. (B) The Local Authority determines to take the initiative without application from existing institutions. Which of these two courses is preferable must entirely depend on local circum stances. 4. Supposing (A) to take place. (The question of applications from School Boards and Elementary Schools is dealt with below. †) The Institution taking the initiative must (i.) Be in the district. (ii.) Already provide Science or Art Instruction of the kind given in connection with the Science and Art Department. It need not already have actually obtained a grant from the Department, but must be conducting classes which would qualify it for a grant. 5. In making the application, an institution would do well to give full particulars on the following points, among others :-- (a) Its income, and the sources from which it is derived. (b) Its expenditure on its various departments. * Reply of Science and Art Department to questions submitted by the West Riding County Council. + See paragraph 19. If the institution which wishes to apply for aid be already supplying Technical or Manual Instruction (see § 20), but not of a kind which receives grants from the Science and Art Department, it may often put itself in the right by linking its Committee formally with the Governing Body of an existing Science and Art School in the district. Example--At Oxford the new school of wood-carving became in this way a Branch of the Science School for the purpose of making an application. It is to be observed, however, that though the right of putting the Local Authority in motion is confined to institutions connected with South Kensington, no such connection is necessary to qualify an Institution for receiving rate aid. (Extract from opinion of Science and Art Department in answer to West Riding County Council. Question "Can the Council aid the provision of instruction in any Schools or institutions in its district except those in receipt of aid from the Science and Art Department?" Answer.-"Yes".) (c) The character and scope of its instruction, especially of the parts bearing more directly on local industries. (d) The average attendance and number on the register at each of its classes. (e) If possible an analysis of the occupations of students attending the evening classes, and of the parents of boys attending the day school, and generally any particulars showing the social class to which students belong. (f) The fees. (g) The purpose for which a grant from the rates is desired, whether— (i.) To meet an annual deficit; (ii.) To aid in developing a new branch of work; (iii.) To provide scholarships or to reduce fees; and generally whether to subsidise existing instruction or to aid in extending the sphere of usefulness of the school. (h) The present number and constitution of the governing body or committee. (i) Particulars showing that the work of the school is useful to, and appreciated by, the locality, and is not overlapping that of other similar institutions. 6. It will often be well for managers of several institutions applying for rate-aid to confer together previously with the view of presenting a joint application. 7. Whether the initiative be taken by the Local Authority or a local institution, the first step for the Local Authority to take will be to appoint a committee to consider the provisions of the Act, and to make inquiry into the circumstances of the district. The committee ought not to be too large, and it will often be desirable that it should include a certain number of experts acquainted with the needs of the district. Thus it will usually be a great gain to have the presence on the committee of a scientific specialist, and an expert on art especially in its application to local industries. It would be well, also, to have working men representatives, connected with local working men's societies, either as members of the committee, or for advice. 8. The committee should proceed to make inquiry on the following points among others : (a) The need for technical instruction in the district. A circular might, with advantage, be addressed to all the more prominent manufacturers and representative working men, and to the Chamber of Commerce, asking for any evidence as to the form of instruction suitable to their industries. (b) The existing facilities in the district for providing such instruction. Circulars might be addressed to all prominent educational institutions asking for particulars of their work. |