§ MR. HOLTasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether the Government have received any report of proceedings recently taken in the Convocation of either Province, under the letters of business issued by the Crown, on the subject of the Fourth Report of the Ritual Commission; whether it is true that the two Convocations are not agreed in the recommendations made in their several reports with reference to the ornaments rubric; whether these reports will be laid before Parliament before the close of the Session; whether any draft Bill has been submitted to the Government for consideration by the Convocation of either Province; and, if so, whether it meets with their approval and will be laid before Parliament before the Recess; and, generally, whether the Government intend to take any, and what further action in respect of these reports of Con vocation.
MR. ASSHETON CROSS, in reply, said, no Reports had been received by Her Majesty's Government of the proceedings recently taken in the Convoca- 669 tion of either Province. A committee had been appointed by the Southern Province; but he was not quite certain whether the Northern Province had appointed a similar committee. He believed it was true that the two Convocations had not agreed in the recommendations made in their several Reports with reference to the ornaments rubric. In regard to the Question generally, the hon. Member would not expect him to give an opinion upon it until after the Government had had time to consider the questions involved.