§ Bill considered in Committee.
§ Remaining Clauses agreed to.
§ Schedule agreed to
§ LORD JOHN MANNERSsaid, he would move the addition of a clause after Clause 6, providing, that in case the Ecclesiastical Commissioners shall have any tithe-rent charges in possession arising within a parish, they might grant the same to the value and in lieu of the annuity referred to in the Bill.
MR. HENLEYobserved, that a rent charge on land was not subject to poor rates, but a tithe-rent charge was subject to poor rates. The rent charge upon land was payable by one person, while the tithe-rent charge might be payable by many persons, involving expense of collection. The two things were dissimilar, and words should be added to guard against the consequences of that dissimilarity.
THE SOLICITOR GENERALsaid, he could not agree that the clause was necessary, as the object of it was sufficiently provided for by other clauses of the Bill.
§ Motion withdrawn.
§ MR. LYALLsaid, he would move the insertion of a clause to prevent speculation and jobbing in the livings included in the Bill by interdicting purchasers from selling until after the expiration of five years.
§ MR. MORRISONsaid, he had given notice of an Amendment in the clause, with a view of expending the prohibition to thirty years, and attaching a penalty to any infringement of it. If the Committee should prefer the clause to his Amendment, he would suggest that the term should be enlarged from five years to ten.
§ SIR GEORGE GREYsaid, he agreed in the principle of the clause; but as it was rejected by the House of Lords, the Government though it better not to insist upon it. He hoped the hon. Member would withdraw his Motion.
§ MR. AYRTONsaid, he should support the Amendment, as calculated to mitigate the evil which the Bill would create. The traffic in advowsons was a scandal to the Church.
§ House resumed.
§ Committee report progress; to sit again To-morrow, at Twelve of the clock.
§ House adjourned at ten minutes before six o'clock.