§ Order for Second Reading, read.
MR. GLADSTONE,in moving that the Bill be now read a second time said, that as its title did not convey any very clear idea of its objects, he wished shortly to explain them. By the existing regulations the salaries of Deans were fixed at £1,000 a-year, and no more. To the Deanery of Lichfield, however, there had been attached since 1706 the important and valuable living of Tattenhill, Staffordshire, which was within the diocese of Lichfield, but at some distance from the Cathedral city, and therefore not coming within the 13 & 14 Vict. c. 94 which forbad that any Dean should hold with his deanery any benefice not situate within his Cathedral city. The question, therefore, was whether by the provision of the general law he was disabled from the possession of that living. The Government thought it fair to submit the matter without delay to the decision of the proper tribunal, and the Court had decided that the Dean of Lichfield had taken the living absolutely when he accepted the Deanery. The Bill provided prospectively for the severance of the living from the Deanery, and left it to the Ecclesiastical Commissioners to lay down the conditions under which it should be divided after the severance had been carried out. Previous to the annexation of the rectory to the Deanery Her Majesty had been seised of the advowson in right of the Duchy of Lancaster. The Bill provided that after the severance the advowson should be vested in Her Majesty as formerly.
§ Bill read a second time, and committed for Monday next.
§ And it being now Seven of the clock, the House suspended its Sitting.
§ The House resumed its Sitting at Nine of the clock.