§ LORD EDMOND FITZMAURICEasked the First Lord of the Treasury, If it is the intention of Her Majesty's Government to deal with the question of University reform by the appointment of a Royal Commission, or otherwise?
MR. GLADSTONEreplied that the view of the Government was that there was a step which might be adopted either by them or by Parliament, as might seem most expedient, without any delay and with great advantage to the interests of the Universities; and that was, to take effectual means by a Commission for establishing and bringing to the knowledge of the public the real, and, as far as might be, the exact revenues and property of the Universities and Colleges. As far as the Universities were concerned, that was a simple matter; but with reference to the Colleges, it was more comprehensive and complex. The Government had had some preliminary consultation with some of the authorities of the Universities upon the question whether it was probable that that could be done by a Crown Commission, or whether it would be necessary to resort to Parliament. Of course, he 1873 need not say that if it were to be done by a Crown Commission, the Government would not attempt anything of that kind until they had ascertained that there was a general disposition to comply with the inquiries which would be made by the Commission, and indeed even a little more, that there was a disposition to prefer that to a statutory and compulsory Commission, so that they might be able to rely upon voluntary and cheerful co-operation. As far as these inquiries had gone, they tended to lead the Government to the conclusion that there would be that cheerful co-operation in the work of bringing out information of great interest and importance which had never yet been fully placed before the world. Of course, his noble Friend knew very well that the present season of the year was not one in which anything effectual could be done, the members of the Universities being dispersed; but when the October term commenced, the Government would endeavour to inform themselves fully upon that subject, and if the result were such as they had some reason to expect it would be, they should proceed at once to advise the Crown to issue a Commission for the purpose of bringing out clearly the whole of the facts. In that case he hoped no very long time would be occupied by the inquiries of such a Commission, and he was likewise disposed to believe that many Colleges in the Universities would be very much inclined to co-operate with the Government, by making use of the powers which they possessed, subject to a certain control of the Privy Council, for the purpose of introducing important reforms into their administration, especially in connection with the tenure and the emoluments of Fellowships.
§ In reply to Mr. SPENCER WALPOLE,
MR. GLADSTONEstated that the exact purpose of the inquiry would be entirely confined to the elucidation of facts with reference to the property of Universities and Colleges. The question as to the issue of any further Commission to inquire what changes might be made, especially with regard to Fellowships, would stand over.
§ In answer to Mr. BERESFORD HOPE,
MR. GLADSTONEsaid, that the Commission would make no Report as to opinions beyond what was necessary to present a clear statement as to the state of the property of the Universities 1874 and Colleges; while, in reply to Mr. RATHBONE, he stated that the Commission would furnish the public with information as to the application of the emoluments of the University of Oxford, which, however, had, he believed, in the main been brought out by a former inquiry.