The Attorney Generalmoved for leave to bring in a Bill to continue the inquiry into the Funds of Charitable Institutions in England and Wales.
§ Mr. Alderman Winchestercomplained that some vexatious proceedings in Chancery had been instituted under the authority of the former Commissioners, and he hoped that a clause would be introduced to prevent unauthorised persons from proceeding against trustees of Charities.
Mr. Humesaid, he would not object to the bringing in of the Bill, but he much doubted whether the public ought to pay the expense of these Commissioners. It appeared that they sat but four months in the last year; and he was satisfied that one 337 set of Commissioners might, with proper application, do more in one year than the whole five sets had hitherto done. The expenses, he was of opinion, ought to be paid out of the funds themselves. The inquiries had cost £135,000, and 20,000l. with proper management would have paid all the expenses.
The Attorney Generalsaid, that at any rate the first step to be taken was to ascertain the amount of those charitable funds. It would then be open to any Gentleman- to submit any motion he might think proper.
§ Sir C. Wetherellthought the hon. Alderman must have laboured under some mistake when he supposed that vexatious litigation had taken place, as the law officers of the Crown had always taken the greatest precautions to prevent such an abuse. He must reply to the hon. member for Middlesex, that the object of the present Bill was to ascertain how money left in charity had been disposed of and apply it as the donor had directed. He did not think, therefore, that the hon. Member ought to lay his hands on any portion of that.
§ Mr. Huntknew that the money derived from charities was frequently spent in guzzling by those who were bound to apply it to other purposes.
§ Leave given, and Bill ordered to be brought in.