§ MR. HIGHAM (Yorkshire, W.R., Sowerby)I beg to ask the hon. Member for the Elland Division, as representing the Charity Commissioners, if he is aware that the Edward Wainhouse Charity, left for the benefit of the poor of Sowerby town and vested by the donor in the overseers as trustees, is in the hands of and distributed by the vicars of the township, and will directions be given that in future the distribution shall be made by the overseers, as directed by the will of the testator; and will he explain why the Charity Commissioners are seeking, in opposition to the wishes of the trustees appointed under the will, to amalgamate this charity with others in which they, the trustees, are not interested.
§ MR. TREVELYAN (Yorkshire, W.R, Elland)The vicars of the ecclesiastical parishes in the township of Sowerby are not entitled to distribute the income of Edward Wainhouse's Charity. The Charity Commissioners are informed that the Charity is now distributed by the Churchwardens of Sowerby. The Overseers of the township are not, in the opinion of the Commissioners, the Trustees of the Charity. Overseers are not now appointed for the area which in 1686 (the date of the founder's will) constituted the township of Sowerby. That area now includes, besides the existing township of Sowerby, parts of Sowerby Bridge, Luddenden Foot, Erring-den, Mytholmroyd and Halifax. The Commissioners desire to constitute a body of Trustees, including representatives of the local authorities of the area entitled to the benefit of the Charity and to amalgamate it with other Charities for the same area, so as to save expense and prevent overlapping.