ORDER FOR SECOND READING DISCHARGED. (Hansard, 11 March 1857)

THE MARQUESS OF BLANDFORD
said, that in moving that the order for the second reading of the Bill be discharged, he wished to say a few words with reference 2182 to the objects of the measure. His great aim in this and similar Bills which he had introduced to the House was to secure an adequate provision for the parochial wants of the country. Parliament had on various occasions directed its attention to the subject, and he could conceive none of more vital importance to the country. Without claiming anything exclusive for the Established Church, it was impossible not to recognize the fact that the Established Church was the great engine, the mechanism by which the vital truths of the Christian religion were propagated and supported in this country, and they could not, therefore, exaggerate the importance of making adequate provision for the maintenance of the parochial system. In order to make an adequate provision for that system endowments were required, and it was to promote that object that he had on various occasions introduced measures to that House. The common fund of the Ecclesiastical Commissioners had been created from time to time, by Acts passed for the purpose, from the property of ecclesiastical corporations aggregate and sole; and, following out that object, the present Bill, which had a double purpose, had been introduced. One of its objects was to transfer the property of ecclesiastical corporations to the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, and the second was that when that property had been so transferred the Commissioners should have the power to make the ulterior arrangements to which it should be subjected. If those transfers could be facilitated means would be found for promoting a very large increase of funds for parochial purposes. He was aware that considerable objections were entertained to that part of the proposal which would leave the management of estates in the hands of the Ecclesiastical Commissioners; but provided the first important step of the transference to the Commissioners could be gained he would be willing, as far as possible, to meet the views of those who objected to leaving the management of the estates in their hands. If by any modification of that part of the Bill a satisfactory conclusion could be arrived at upon the question he would consider himself amply rewarded. He would not detain the House further, but conclude by moving that the Order for the second reading of the Bill be discharged.

§ MR. EVELYN DENISON
said, he would remind the noble Lord that a Committee sat last year to inquire into the 2183 system of management of the estates pursued by the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, and he believed that it would be necessary to introduce a Bill on the subject of the Ecclesiastical Commission. He put it to the noble Lord, therefore, whether it would not be necessary that that Bill should be carried before they could come to any satisfactory conclusion as to transferring further estates to the Ecclesiastical Commissioners.

§ MR. WALPOLE
said, he would suggest to Her Majesty's Government the necessity of ascertaining to what extent they would be prepared to carry out those recommendations, and embodying them in a Bill concurrently with that now before the House. The Bill of his noble Friend embraced two points—one the transfer of the estates of ecclesiastical corporations to the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, and the other to vest those estates in the hands of the Commissioners without a re-transfer to episcopal and capitular bodies of those properties which Parliament had already sanctioned for their use. All the evidence taken before the Committee showed the disadvantage of a compulsory transfer, and the great superiority of a voluntary system of transfer. Five or six corporations, including Cork, Carlow, Gloucester, Chester, and Peterborough, had so acted; and he deprecated the too large and too sudden accumulation of property in the hands of the Commissioners before they had power to deal with it. His noble Friend (the Marquess of Blandford), no doubt, desired a more rapid enfranchisement of Church property. It appeared, however, by the Ninth General Report of the Church Commissioners that between 1851 (the time when the Church Commissioners were appointed) and 1856, the transactions approved of by them with respect to capitular property were no fewer than 827 in number, and the value in fee of the estates exceeded £3,300,000. In 1855 the terms agreed on and transactions arranged amounted to no less than 255, and the value of the fee of the estates amounted to £900,000. The aggregate of the cases dealt with voluntarily had been 10,082, representing property to the amount of £4,200,000. He hoped, therefore, that the voluntary plan would be continued as long as possible, on the further ground that what was done voluntarily was done better than by extraneous aid. With regard to vesting the estates of bishops and chapters in the Commissioners, without 2184 power of transfer, he had great objections, he thought they ought to be transferred to the bodies to which they belonged. The Committee, he thought, had justly recommended, that while estates were transferred there should be a power of inspection to secure good management, and an option given to the bishops and chapters to employ the Ecclesiastical Commissioners or their agents in the management of the purely secular business. Considering the connection between the Church of England and the property of this country, he thought it would be well to consider whether Church property could not be managed otherwise than by one metropolitan board. If transferred to such a board, he trusted there would be a power of re-transfer. The noble Lord, he knew, felt a deep interest in the matter, and he (Mr. Walpole) hoped he would forgive his suggestions.