MR. M'CULLAGH TORRENSsaid, he rose to ask the hon. Member for Hereford, If he can inform the House what progress, if any, has been made in the inquiries directed to be instituted by the Irish Church Commissioners, whether any Chairman has been appointed by them, and how soon they are likely to be prepared to present their Report? He likewise wished to remark that, in the course of last Session, it was announced by the Government that a Commission would be issued to inquire into the state of the Irish Church. If he was rightly informed, that Commission was not issued until three months after that announcement, and did not come into existence until the 30th of October, 1867. There were two Members of that House on that Commission, and he naturally addressed himself to the hon. Member for Hereford (Mr. Clive); and he therefore wished to know what progress the Commission had made—how often the Commissioners had met for the discharge of business—and such other particulars as his hon. Friend could supply?
§ MR. CLIVEreplied, that the Commission was issued on the 30th of October last year, and the Commissioners were appointed on the 2nd of November. On the 6th of November the first meeting was held in Dublin, and another meeting was held on the 6th of December in London. At these two meetings sub-Committees were appointed, and queries were circulated, to which a great many replies had been received, and others were arriving every day. Another meeting was appointed for Monday next. At the meeting on the 6th of December no Chairman was appointed, but Earl Stanhope was named for that office, and though he did not at the time accede to the request to take the chair, he (Mr. Clive) believed the noble Earl had since accepted the office. The Report might be expected in the course of two or three months. He was not aware that there was any further information he could give.