§ MR. SILCOCK (Somersetshire, Wells)I beg to ask the hon. Member for the Elland Division of Yorkshire, as representing the Charity Commissioners, whether his attention has been drawn to the new scheme for the administration of Llewellyn's and Charles's charities in the city of Wells, Somerset, which provides that only three trustees shall be elected and five shall be co-opted; whether, seeing that it was the intention of the founder that the charity should lie administered by the Corporation, and that for a long period it was so administered, he will give the reasons which induced the Commissioners to complete and seal a scheme before replying to the representations which they had invited from the Wells Corporation, and without giving any reasons for refusing to appoint a majority of representative trustees; and will the Commissioners take steps to give effect to the request of the Corporation and to secure that at least a majority of the trustees shall be elected.
MR. TEEVELYAN (Yorkshire, W.R., Elland)This Charity was removed from the control of the Wells Corporation under the Municipal Corporations Act, 1835. As I have explained on a previous occasion, the Commissioners cannot make a scheme, or amend one when made, when the income, as in this case, exceeds £50, except on application from the trustees. In the present instance, the Commissioners on their own motion proposed to introduce two representatives of the Town Council, and increased the number after publication to three, but they feel bound to exercise a discretion in such matters so as not unduly to discourage application for schemes by trustees of such large charities. The suggestions of the Town Council were 728 fully considered, and were acknowledged on the establishment of the scheme, but the Commissioners could not undertake to enter into correspondence on the subject of such suggestions when no point has arisen requiring further investigation.