§ MR. LENG (Dundee)I beg to ask the hon. Member for Penrith (Mr. J. W. Lowther) if he can explain why the Charity Commissioners, having authorised the sale of the ground and buildings of the old Free Grammar School at Hull, and sanctioned the purchase of a piece of land, declaring by their order that it was to be used for the site of new school buildings, and having approved the plans of the new school 1o be erected from the proceeds of the sale of the old school, ultimately intimated they would not permit the new building to be proceeded with until the school was endowed, it having previously existed for 400 years without such endowment; whether it is the case that, under the present head master, who is conducting the school in temporary and inconvenient hired premises, the number of scholars has risen from 40 to nearly 200; and whether, under the circumstances, the Charity Commissioners will consider the desirability of providing better accommodation without delay?
MR. J. W. LOWTHER (Cumberland, Penrith)The Charity Commissioners authorised the sale of the ground and buildings of the Old Free Grammar School at Hull, and sanctioned the pur- 1813 chase of a piece of land for a site, and approved plans for a new school, in the expectation, which failed through local opposition to be realised, of being enabled to provide an endowment for it from other charitable endowments in Hall. The Charity Commissioners have always declined to permit the whole endowment of the Free Grammar School to be absorbed in building, and the foundation to be re-organised under scheme without any endowment, in face of the competition which would arise from existing schools in the town, and from a new school to be shortly started upon the Hymers' Endowment of £50,000. The Charity Commissioners are quite prepared to consider the desirability of raising sufficient funds to provide better accommodation for the school.