MR. CROSSLEY (York, W.R., Sowerby)asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies, Whether the Court of Policy of British Guiana has passed an Ordinance for the establishment of a town at Bartika; whether it provides that one-third of the sums received for the lands formerly held at the pleasure of the Crown by the Bishop of Guiana shall be paid to the Bishop and his suc- 862 cessors absolutely, for ecclesiastical purposes; whether the effect of this will be to convert a grant to the Church Missionary Society, held at the pleasure of the Crown, into a permanent endowment of the Bishopric; whether the Ordinance has been transmitted for the approval of the Crown; whether the Governor has also forwarded a Petition from the Congregational Union of British Guiana opposing such Ordinance; and whether he will advise a modification of the Ordinance, to meet the objection of the unendowed Religious Bodies in the Colony?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE (Sir HENRY HOLLAND) (Hampstead)I have received no official information from the Governor on the subject; but it appears from the Colonial newspapers that such an Ordinance has been passed by the Colonial Legislature, and that it contains practically the provision mentioned in the second part of the Question. The Ordinance has not yet been transmitted for the approval of the Crown. I am not prepared, therefore, to express an opinion as to the effect of that provision, or to consider whether I will advise a modification of the Ordinance until I have received the Ordinance itself, and the Report from the Governor and Attorney General upon it. The Petition referred to in the fifth part of the Question has not been forwarded to me.