§ Viscount Dungannonwished to ask the noble Lord the Secretary for the Colonies whether any of the surplus funds which had fallen into the hands of the Church commissioners had been applied to the augmentation of poor benefices.
§ Lord J. Russellsaid, the subject had undergone a great deal of consideration on the part of the ecclesiastical commissioners, but they had not yet adopted any general principle for the application of the funds, and therefore none had been applied.
§ Viscount Dungannonthen observed, that, as far as the matter had gone, he was to understand that no portion of the funds for the augmentation of poor benefices, had been applied iii the different dioceses in which the benefices became vacant.
§ Lord John Russellreplied, that sums had not yet been so applied. It was considered by the ecclesiastical commissioners desirable not to do so until some general plan was laid down.