Burmese Sketches - Khamkoo

BURMESE SKETCHES. 2h|
offence. Section 5, however, provides that, with the previous
sanction of the Governor-General in Council, the Local Government
may use, as Reformatory schools, schools kept by
private persons willing to act in conformity with such rules,
consistent with the Act, as the Local Government may
prescribe in this behalf. Under this section, it would appear
that only " Youthful offenders " could be admitted into such
recognized schools ; but at the same time it is open to the
Education Department, which is now administering the Insein
School, to arrange with Missionary or other bodies for the
establishment of Industrial schools subject to rules similar to
those framed under the Act, provided that there are many
candidates for admission into such schools ; and parents, who
are burdened with unruly sons, might approach the Director
of Public Instruction on the subject. The complaint referred
to appears to be commoner in urban than in rural areas, and
Mr. Pope could, on doubt, gauge public feeling through the
Deputy Inspectors of Schools. Industrial training in schools
freed from all criminal taint would be welcomed by the people,
and be an effective agency in diffusing technical education all
over the Province, thereby keeping the people better employed
reproductively, increasing their welfare and prosperity, and
reducing crime considerably in the immediate future.
THE MEMBER FOR EDUCATION (1910).
Mr. H. W. Orange, Director-General of Education, who
was to have vacated his appointment in August, has been asked
to stay on in India till the first week in October, when, it is
understood, that the Member for Education will be appointed,
in place of the Military Supply Member, whose post has remanied
unfilled during the last two years. A new portfolio w^ill
be created out of the Home Department, and it is probable
that, besides education, local self-government, sanitation,
village administration, and such other matters affecting deeply
the social condition of the people will be assigned to it. As
Mr. Sinha will resign his Law Membership next autumn, and
as it is deemed expedient to have a Native on the Executive
Council of the Viceroy, the general belief is that the Member
for Education will be a Native of repute, who will not only
be an expert in education, but be also acquainted with the
methods of Indian administration. Since Mr. Sinha is a
HindU) it is just possible that the new Member may be a