§ MR. HORSMANsaid, that a Bill was before the House which had for its object the raising of the income of certain deaneries from 1,000l. to 1,500l. per annum. Since the introduction of that measure, the deanery of Salisbury had become vacant, and he was anxious to know what course the Government meant to take with respect to it. He was also desirous of knowing whether the appointments to deaneries which had recently become vacant had been made on the understanding that the persons obtaining them must submit to any alteration of duties or income which Parliament might make?
§ LORD J. RUSSELLsaid, it was true a Bill had been brought in for the purpose of raising the incomes of the deaneries of Wells and Salisbury from 1,000l. to 1,500l. a year, the holders of those preferments having accepted them on the understanding, and in the expectation, that by the existing law they were entitled to that sum. In future, however, the income of those deaneries, as well as all other deaneries, would be limited to 1,000l. a year. It was also the intention of the Government to propose that no dean appointed after the 10th of April should hold any benefice with the care of souls at a greater distance than three miles from the cathedral city in which his deanery was placed. If that regulation should be sanctioned by Parliament, it was impossible to expect that any person would accept a deanery having an income less than 1,000l. a year. Indeed, the Bishop of Salisbury was of opinion, that, taking into consideration the expenses to which a dean was necessarily subjected, and the sums which he had to disburse in charity, they would be placed in an embarrassing position if they had an income of no greater amount than 1,000l. a year. With respect to the other point to which the hon. Member had adverted, he begged to state that he had informed persons who had accepted deaneries 166 that they might expect to receive a fixed sum instead of a variable income, in accordance with the report of the Ecclesiastical Commission; but he had not given them to understand that they would receive a less amount than they did at present.
§ MR. HORSMANwas not sure that he correctly understood what had fallen from the noble Lord on one point, and, therefore, begged to ask whether the future Dean of Salisbury was to receive a larger income than other deans?
§ LORD J. RUSSELLreplied in the negative: all deans would receive 1,000l. a year each.
§ Subject dropped.