Compulsory education.

At the December meeting of the Bombay Legislative Council the Hon’ble Mr. V.J. Patel moved a resolution urging that an early beginning should be made in the direction of making elementary education free and compulsory at least within the limits of municipal districts. Most of the non-official members of the Council spoke in favour of it, but the resolution being put to vote was lost by 25 votes against 20. His Excellency the Governor remarked that it would be unfortunate if the Council endeavoured to pass a resolution which went straight in the face of the confirmed and decided opinion of the Government of India. Two months after this defeat Mr. Patel gave notice to the Secretary, Legislative Council, of his intention to move for leave to introduce a Bill to empower district municipalities to introduce compulsion in the system of elementary education in their charge. The Bombay Government as required by rules governing legislation in local Legislative Councils submitted the same bill to the Government of India. It is now understood that the Government of India have communicated their decision to the Bombay Government that they have no objection to the principle underlying the Bill, which will, therefore, be introduced in the July meeting of the Bombay Legislative Council.