HC Deb 10 April 1872 vol 210 cc1032-3

Order for Second Reading read.

MR. MORLEY (for Mr. OSBORNE MORGAN)

moved that the Bill be now read the second time. The measure was permissive in its character, and therefore he did not apprehend that any opposition would be offered by hon. Gen- tlemen opposite to the second reading. The object of the Bill was to provide further facilities for the conveyance of land for sites of places of religious worship and schools. It would simply enable those who were possessed of rights or property in land to deal with it—for the purposes of this Bill—free from the restraints imposed by the law of entail and mortmain. The Bill was framed on the model of the 4 & 5 Vict., which was an Act to afford further facilities for the endowment of sites for schools, and it would give no greater facilities for acquiring sites for Dissenting chapels and schools than now existed in the case of churches and schools of the Establishment.

Motion made, and Question proposed, "That the Bill be now read the second time."—(Mr. Morley.)

MR. A. GUEST

said, he did not propose to offer any opposition to the Bill; but there were one or two provisions which would require to be amended in Committee.

MR. GATHORNE HARDY

said, he had no objection to the proposal, which seemed to him just and useful. He would venture to tell the hon. Member for Bristol (Mr. Morley), that when any measures of that character were proposed in that House, they would be received with as much pleasure by hon. Members who sat on that (the Opposition) side of the House as by those on the side on which the hon. Gentleman himself sat.

MR. BRUCE,

on behalf of the Government, said, that the Bill was one to which they would offer no opposition on the second reading; but he thought it would require to be amended and supplemented in Committee. His experience was that landlords were much more ready to give than to sell land for these purposes.

COLONEL CORBETT

said, that the 4th clause, relating to exchanges of land, required to be guarded. Land, sold for the purpose of building chapels or schools, might be exchanged, and so become sites for public-houses or other objectionable purposes.

Motion agreed to.

Bill read a second time, and committed for Wednesday next.