§ MR. J. BRYCE (Aberdeen, S.)I have to ask the Vice President of the Committee of Council on Education what progress has been made during the last six months in the work of the Charity Commissioners charged with the administration of "The City of London Parochial Charities Act, 1883:" and when the scheme or schemes which the Commissioners are to propose for the allocation of the funds dealt with by the Act are likely to be published.
MR. J. W. LOWTHER (Cumberland, Penrith)Perhaps I may be allowed to reply to this Question. During the last six months progress of a very decisive kind (full details of which will appear in their forthcoming Report for 1888, which has been already prepared) has been effected, especially in the negotiations with Committees and other important bodies whose co-operation is essential to a beneficial application of the City Parochial Funds. The Commissioners have also prepared a supplementary statement of property under the Act, the publication of which has been delayed by litigation arising under their former statements; and 841 they have in two cases prepared schemes of an important kind, which have been for some time the subject of confidential communications with the parties interested. The Commissioners anticipate that the schemes above referred to will be published in the course of the spring; and they hope that during the summer they will be able to publish the whole of the schemes required by the Act.