§ MR. E. ROBERTSON (Dundee)asked the First Lord of the Treasury, Whether his attention has been called to the following points in the Charter of Keble College, namely:—That the Warden must be a person in Holy Orders; that the Visitor is the Archbishop of Canterbury; that the Council consists of certain persons (all members, and the majority clergymen, of the Church of England) nominated in the Charter, or elected by the Council itself; that the object of the College is expressed to be an academical education based upon the principles of the Church of England; and that it is expressly provided that the Warden, Council, and Visitor may at any time dissolve the Corporation, and dispose of its property as they please; and, whether, having regard to the privileges conferred upon Keble College by "The Mortmain and Charitable Uses Act, 1888," he will undertake to introduce a Bill next Session to modify the Charter so as to deprive it of its sectarian character, and preserve the property of the College for academical uses under the ordinary law now governing Colleges in the University?
§ THE FIRST LORD (Mr. W. H. SMITH) (Strand, Westminster)I have no means of inquiring into the facts or allegations contained in the Question. I do not question the accuracy of the statements made. I am not, however, in a position to enter into any engagement to bring in a Bill next Session to amend the Charter in the direction which the hon. and learned Member desires.
§ MR. E. ROBERTSONgave Notice that he should take the first opportunity to call attention to the extraordinary circumstances under which, in the Summer Session, without Notice, and in contravention of the previous decision of the House, a Keble College clause was inserted in the Mortmain and Charitable Uses Act, and he should move a Resolution in the terms of the second portion of his Question.