§ SIR HENRY KIMBERI beg to ask the hon. Member for the Barnstaple division, as representing the Charity Commissioners, whether by the terms of the late Mr. Weir's will income only is directed to be used for the establishment and maintenance of the charity; whether he will state from what persons or bodies the Charity Commissioners have received protests and objections to the published draft scheme; do the Commissioners, notwithstanding such protests, intend to persevere in the 1230 attempt to transfer £50,000 capital of the fund, and the income of the residue, to a hospital in Battersea, and not in Streatham as directed by the will; whether the donations of £5,000 and £900 were given in the form of legacies, and, if so, under whose wills and upon what conditions were such legacies given; whether the authorities of the King Edward's Hospital Fund who are alleged to have advised union with the Bolingbroke Hospital, expressed any opinion that the terms of the will could not be carried out as provided therein; whether he is aware that a feeling exists against multiplying beds in existing hospitals when so many beds are vacant for want of funds, and that the present draft scheme will double the accommodation at Bolingbroke Hospital; and what provision has been made for the maintenance of such extra accommodation.
§ MR. SOARES (Devonshire, Barnstaple)Mr. Weir's will does not direct that income only is to be used for the establishment and maintenance of the charity. Protests and objections to the published draft scheme have been received from the persons claiming to be the committee of management of the charity from Mr. Richard Phillips, a member of the Wandsworth Borough Council, from the Streatham Ratepayers' Association and the Streatham Chamber of Commerce; from the Wandsworth Borough Council; from Mr. Henry George Hills, one of the trustees under Mr. Weir's will; and from a meeting of inhabitants of the parish of Streatham. The Commissioners propose to seal their scheme substantially in the form in which it was published, and if desired to authorise an appeal from it to the Chancery Division of the High Court. The donations of £5,000 and £900 were not legacies. The gift of £5,000 was from the Zunz trustees and that of £900 was from Lord Wandsworth, and these gifts were conditional upon a total amount of £22,000 being subscribed by the end of July, 1907. The authorities of King Edward's Hospital Fund did not express any opinion that the terms of the will could not be carried out as provided therein The Commissioners are aware that opinions have been expressed to 1231 the effect stated by the hon. Member. The proposed scheme will about double the accommodation at Bolingbroke Hospital. The maintenance of extra accommodation at the hospital so far as not provided for by the residuary income of the Weir Charity will be provided from the general funds of the hospital.