§ SIR B. HALLwished to ask the noble Lord at the head of the Government a question, respecting a rumour which had caused a great deal of excitement and dissatisfaction in the metropolis. He hoped that the noble Lord would be able to contradict the rumour, as it had caused a very general expression of censure against the highest ecclesiastical authority in the kingdom. His question related to the sinecure office of Registrar of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury.
§ LORD J. RUSSELLhaving begged pardon for interrupting the hon. Baronet, wished him to defer the question until to-morrow, as he had only just then written for information, and had not, as yet, received any answer.
§ SIR B. HALLthen gave notice that the question he should ask to-morrow, would have reference to the fact that there was an office in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, the registrar of which held a sinecure of the value of 9,000l. a year. That the Archbishop of Canterbury for the time being had been in the habit of nominating persons to fill that office. That three persons had been nominated to get it in succession, leaving a fresh nomination to be made whenever one of the three lives should fall in. That the late Dr. Howley did not fill up the vacancy created by the death of Lord Canterbury; and the question he (Sir B. Hall) should ask was, whether the present Archbishop, taking advantage of the vacancy left unfilled by his predecessor, had not filled up the office by the appointment of Mr. Sumner, son of the present Bishop of Winchester.