MR. GRANT DUFFsaid, he would beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies, What arrangements have, in compliance with the recent decision of the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, been made with reference to the See of Rupert's Land?
§ MR. CARDWELL, in reply, said, it was in the knowledge of the House that the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council had decided against the validity of the jurisdiction conferred by Letters Patent on the Bishops of the colonies having representative institutions, and it was the opinion of the Government, after that decision, that the whole subject of the Letters Patent to the Colonial Bishops ought to be carefully considered, and that in the meantime no Letters ought to be issued to any colonies. It was, however, important that no delay should take place in the appointment of a successor to the Bishop of Rupert's Land. The course, therefore, which had been pursued was that, under the advice of the Law Officers of the Crown, a letter had been addressed by the Archbishop of Canterbury to him (Mr. Cardwell), and in consequence of that letter Her Majesty had been pleased to issue a mandate to the Archbishop authorizing him to consecrate a Bishop, but no Letters Patent would be issued purporting to convey jurisdiction conferred by the Crown.