§ SIR JOHN PAKINGTONsaid, he wished to put a question to the right hon. Baronet the Home Secretary relative to a subject which had been recently before the House in connection with the new Statutes of the Oxford Colleges—namely, whether the designs of the founder should be so far respected, as that pecuniary circumstances should be treated as an element in the election of candidates for fellowships. He wished to know if the right hon. Gentleman had received any information of the fact that a very stong memorial, signed by 106 residents in the University of Oxford, including among them some of the heads of houses, had been presented to the University Commission, setting forth the views of the memorialists with reference to that subject? If the right hon. Gentleman was not yet aware of the fact, he (Sir J. Pakington) could state that a memorial of that sort had been presented to the Commission. He would therefore thank the right hon. Gentleman to inform him whether he was willing to adopt such measures as should ensure to the memorial the consideration of the Committee of Privy Council which he had stated on a previous occasion should be appointed to consider this and other questions raised by the new statutes?
§ SIR GEORGE GREYsaid, he had not 468 received any information with regard to the presentation of such a memorial to the University Commissioners. A preliminary meeting of the Committee of Privy Council, to which the right hon. Gentleman had alluded, was held on Wednesday last to take those statutes into consideration. He himself was unable to attend on the occasion in consequence of his presence being required in that House; but at that meeting arrangements were made with regard to the future course of business and the means which were to be taken for allowing parties who had entertained objections to the statutes to appear before the Committee. There could be no doubt that the memorial referred to would he considered by the Commissioners.
§ In answer to another question by Sir JOHN PAKINGTON,
§ SIR GEORGE GREYsaid that the proper course for persons to pursue who objected to the new statutes, was, he apprehended, to memorialise the Queen in Council, after which their memorials would be referred to the Committee.