§ SIR W. FOSTER (Derbyshire, likeston)I beg to ask the honourable Member for Thirsk, as representing the Charity Commissioners, whether they have received from Oriel College the accounts of the charity called the Hospital of St. Bartholomew, near Oxford, for the year 1897; and, if so, whether they will supply a copy to persons interested; and whether the Charity Commissioners, before recommending acceptance of the proposals now made by Oriel College with regard to this charity, will take the opinion of the standing Counsel of the Charity Commission with respect to the same?
§ VISCOUNT VALENTIA (Oxford)At the same time, may I ask the honourable Member for the Thirsk Division of Yorkshire, as representing the Charity Commissioners, whether Oriel College, Oxford, is placing the current income arising from the lands and other property of the Hospital of St. Bartholomew, near Oxford, to a suspense account pending the settlement of the questions with regard to the charity which have been before the Charity Commissioners, or whether the college is carrying the said income to the corporate revenues of the college, and, if the latter, whether it is being done with the concurrence and assent of the Charity Commissioners?
THE PARLIAMENTARY CHARITY COMMISSIONER (Mr. GRANT LAWSON,) Yorkshire, N.R., ThirskThe Commissioners have not yet received the accounts. When they are rendered the Commissioners will be prepared to supply a copy to any person interested. The Commissioners will deal with this case, as they deal with all such eases, upon their own responsibility. The Commissioners Lave reason to believe that Oriel College is placing to a suspense account the stipends and allowances which tine college acknowledges to be payable in respect of the places now vacant among the brethren of the hospital. Pending the settlement of the claims of the charity upon the college the Commissioners have no power to require the college to carry the income derived from the former property of the hospital to any separate account.
§ SIR W. FOSTERIs the honourable Member aware that considerable doubt exists as to the legality of the proposed scheme, as these funds were left for pure charity, and ought net to be used for any other purpose?
MR. GRANT LAWSONI think the House will agree it would not be right for me, speaking on behalf of the Commissioners, to answer such a question. I must ask for notice.