§ MR. COBB (Warwick, S. E., Rugby)I beg to ask the hon. Member for Penrith (Mr. J. W. Lowther) whether lie is aware that for 19 years, since the 27th January, 1871, when a scheme for the regulation of the Poor's Land Charity at Lilbourne, in the County of Northampton, was established, the incumbent, churchwardens, and overseers, as Trustees of the Charity, have annually applied out of the income of the Charity, towards the expenses of the parish school, the sum of £5, in addition to the sum of £20, which they are authorised under the scheme to apply for the benefit of the school; and that the Trustees have, since 918 the date of the scheme, paid £10 annually out of the income of the Charity to the church wardens, but that they have applied only a portion thereof towards the maintenance or repair of the fabric of the parish church, and that a considerable amount has been applied towards the general expenses of the church; whether such application annually of such sums of £5 and £10 is in accordance with the provisions of the scheme; and whether the Commissioners will take steps to ascertain the amount of, and to recover, the part of the income which may have been improperly applied, and devote it according to the provisions of the scheme for the benefit of deserving and necessitous inhabitants of the parish?
MR. J. W. LOWTHER (Cumberland, Penrith)From an examination of the accounts it appears that since 1877 £25 has annually been spent upon the school, and that since 1880 £10 has annually been spent upon church expenses. Payments for the school above £20, and on church expanses as distinct from the maintenance; or repair of the fabric of the church, are not in accordance with the scheme. Explanations will be asked for from the Trustees, on the result of which any further action by the Commissioners must depend.