HC Deb 23 April 1869 vol 195 cc1531-2

Considered in Committee.

(In the Committee.)

MR. GLADSTONE

in rising to propose a Resolution of which he had given Notice, said, that under the provisions of the Irish Church Bill what were, in point of law, advances would not be, in point of fact, advances, as far as regarded the necessity for cash. They would be, in point of fact, credits upon paper. Commutations might probably require large advances of cash, which could be conveniently made, conformably to the Bill, by the Commissioners for the Reduction of the National Debt; but as that involved a public charge, it was necessary to have a Resolution to constitute it, and when that Resolution was reported he should be able to place on the table various clauses which would explain the financial part of the proposition. He concluded by formally moving the Resolution.

Resolved, That the Commissioners for the Reduction of the National Debt be authorized to advance, with the consent of the Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury, to the Commissioners of Church Temporalities in Ireland to be ap- pointed by any Act passed in the present Session of Parliament "to put an end to the Establishment of the Church of Ireland, and to make provision in respect to the temporalities thereof, and in respect to the Royal College of Maynooth," such monies as the said Commissioners of Church Temporalities may require to raise for the purposes of the said Act; and that it is expedient to authorize the Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury to guarantee the repayment to the said Commissioners for the Reduction of the National Debt of any monies so advanced.

House resumed.

Resolution to be reported upon Monday next.