§ 1. An Order in Council under Section four of the principal Act may be made in relation to either of the new bishoprics referred to in this Act, whenever the Ecclesiastical Commissioners certify to His Majesty under their Common Seal that the annual value of the endowment fund of such bishopric (exclusive of the annual value of any episcopal residence but in other respects calculated according to the provisions of the said Section) with the annual value of the sum to be derived from the contributory bishopric (excluding any sum contingently to he so derived) is not less than two thousand' lye hundred pounds, and that a fitting episcopal residence has been provided to the satisfaction of the said Commissioners or a capital sum (in addition to the sum necessary to produce the annual clue so certified as aforesaid) sufficient n the opinion of the said Commissioners has been contributed for that purpose.
§ Mr. KINGI beg to move, in Sub-section (1), to leave out the word "two" ["two thousand five hundred pounds"], and to insert instead thereof the word "one."
It has been represented to me by one or two eminent Churchmen that it would e a very good thing to take this opporunity to reduce the salary of bishops, Lot the maximum salary—let that be as large as the diocese or their friends can 1402 get together—but the minimum salary. The effect of my Amendment will be that. when you want to establish a new bishop you will not have to collect £2,500 a year, but only £1,500. I can conceive many advantages in that. In the first place, everybody declares that one of the crying demands of the Church at the present time is for more bishops. If you have to get £2,500 as the minimum salary, it will be much more difficult than if you only have to get £1,500. I think that is a very important consideration in view of the financial position of the country and the increasing demand for new bishops in, every direction. Let us take this opportunity of reducing the minimum salary. The Bishoprics Bill fixes a maximum and` minimum. The maximum used to be £4,200; it is now reducing to £3,500, and therefore admittedly the trend of opinion in Church and State is towards reducing the maximum salary. The standard for bishops is evidently becoming more simple and more democratic. with consequent advantage to the Church. If you fix in this Bill a minimum, that minimum really sets the standard, and it is for these reasons that I propose to reduce the minimum by £1,000.
§ Sir G. CAVEThe hon. Gentleman is quite right in saying that the tendency is to fix a lesser salary for the purpose of founding bishoprics. In old days, not very old days, the minimum was set at £3,000. Some years ago it was reduced, but in the Act of 1878 it was £3,000. Since then there have been some Bills, three in all, in which the minimum salary has been further reduced and put at £2,500. We propose to adhere to that, and I do not think in view of the facts there will be any desire to further reduce it. The Committee will agree that we have taken a reasonable course in proposing this minimum, and I hope the Amendment will not be pressed.
§ Mr. KINGI am very glad to have the opportunity of stating that the view is. steadily growing as admitted by the Home Secretary that the standard should be reduced, and I hope the right hon. Gentleman will remember this if he has occasion to draft any fresh bishopric Bill. But the right hon. Gentleman has taken no note of the strong point I made as to the financial position of the country and a greater difficulty in collecting money. I ask leave to withdraw the Amendment.
§ Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.
1403§ Bill reported, without Amendment; read the third time, and passed.