Debate on The Libraries (Amendment) Act

Official report · Assembly of SchwartzistanSession 1854 · col. 4843

The Speaker: The Order of the Day is the third reading of the Bill. The Minister has the floor.

Bertil Brenn (Minister of Education): I beg to move that the Bill be now read a third time and do pass. I am told the Bill is a small one. It is. Most Bills that concern children are. I read the material clause to the House. Applies to children between 6 and 14. The Bill amends The Libraries (Amendment) Act, which the House will remember passing, and amends it in one particular only. The Bill is in the hands of the House.

Tomas Marrow (Norrfeld; The Assembly Union): Sir, I ask the House to consider the tradesman who will have to comply with this. He has not been consulted; he has been notified. The Ministry's textbooks are the Ministry's and I have no observation to make on their contents. The people of Norrfeld will ask what it costs them, and I should like to be able to tell them. I oppose the third reading.

Piet Brenn (Kesselhöh; The Continuity Party): Mr. Speaker, Nothing in the Bill disturbs the record. The Continuity Party asks only that the register be kept as it has always been kept. My constituents in Kesselhöh wrote to me about the Bill, all 3 of them, and they were against it until they read it. I am for the schoolmasters, who are underpaid, and for the Bill, which does not pay them. The material provision is this: Applies to children between 6 and 14. I ask the House to note it. We shall divide the House. [Hear, hear, from the Ministerial benches.]

Anton Hernhatz (Westgau; The Assembly Union): Mr. Speaker, I ask the House to consider the tradesman who will have to comply with this. He has not been consulted; he has been notified. I am for the schoolmasters, who are underpaid, and for the Bill, which does not pay them. In Westgau, which I have the honour to sit for, the Bill will be read at the market cross and understood by half. I support the Bill, with the reservation I have stated. [Hear, hear.]

Matthis Brenn (Kesselhöh; The Reed Party): Mr. Speaker, Sir, The land pays for everything in the end. The Reed Party will vote as the land would vote if it could. The members for Kesselhöh have met and are of one mind on the Bill, which does not happen often. I am for the schoolmasters, who are underpaid, and for the Bill, which does not pay them. The Bill says so in terms: Applies to children between 6 and 14. My party will divide the House on the Bill. [Cries of 'Order'.]

Edvard Moor (The Sudmark; The Continuity Party): Sir, Nothing in the Bill disturbs the record. The Continuity Party asks only that the register be kept as it has always been kept. My constituents in The Sudmark wrote to me about the Bill, all 8 of them, and they were against it until they read it. The Ministry's textbooks are the Ministry's and I have no observation to make on their contents. I have the Bill before me and the House has it before it. We shall divide the House. [Hear, hear.]

Josef Sulhalt (The Capital District; The Assembly Union): Mr. Speaker, Sir, The Capital District has had a hard year. I say that not against the Bill but so that the Minister remembers it when the fees are fixed. I ask the House to consider the tradesman who will have to comply with this. He has not been consulted; he has been notified. I have the Bill before me and the House has it before it. The schools will do what the Bill says, as they do what every Bill says, and the children will not notice. My party will divide the House on the Bill.

The Minister thanked the House for a short debate and asked for a short division.

The Speaker: The question is that the Bill be now read a third time and do pass. As many as are of that opinion say Aye. [Ayes.] Of the contrary, No. [Noes.] A division was claimed.

The Speaker: The Ayes have it. The Bill is passed and will go to the Grand Chancellor for assent.

The House then proceeded to the next Order of the Day.