SECOND READING. (Hansard, 24 April 1884)

§ MR. COURTNEY

said, he did not intend to oppose the Bill; but it raised a question which intimately concerned a large number of people, because it proposed to facilitate the granting of loans of public money to build schools. The difficulty with regard to Bills of this kind was in obtaining security, for the buildings themselves never afforded security, being of no value except for the purpose for which they were built; and it could not be supposed that security could be easily enforced against priests who might become responsible for the debts. It must, however, be worth considering what guarantees the State could get; and, for his part, he thought it would not be unreasonable to suggest that the Bishop should offer some guarantee. In the first place, he would be able to see the application for a loan was not foolishly or improperly made; and, in the next place, that the money should be properly spent; and by reason of these circumstances, and his influence in his diocese, he could protect himself against loss. He did not see any difficulty, in principle, in applying that plan to the larger question of Training Colleges; but without pledging himself to that proposition, he would assent to the second reading, on the understanding that before the next stage was taken there should be some plan before them for obtaining proper security.