§ [SECOND READING.]
§ Order of the Day for the Second Reading read.
THE LORD ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURYMy Lords. I ask your Lordships to give a Second Reading to this Bill, the object of which is to amend the Parsonages Act, 1838, and the Church Building Act, 1839. The Bill has been once through your Lordships' House in all its stages, and on a previous occasion it was introduced and discussed, but it has never received the slightest objection from any quarter that I am aware of either inside or outside Parliament. It deals with a technical matter—namely, with certain powers belonging to the Governors of Queen Anne's Bounty, which they wish to have enlarged, with regard to the disposal of moneys realised from the sale of parsonage houses. I could again explain to your Lordships the provisions of the Bill, but it would weary rather than 159 interest you were I to do so. I explained them fully last session [5 H.L. Deb. 5s., p. 954 and I venture to hope that, in view of the fact that the Bill has emanated from the Governors, who have considered it in detail and are agreed upon the subject, and been fully considered outside without any objection of any sort being raised, your Lordships will give the Bill a Second Reading.
§ Moved, That the Bill be now read 2a.—(The Lord Archbishop of Canterbury.)
§ On Question, Bill read 2a, and committed to a Committee of the Whole House on Thursday next.