§ On the motion of Lord Duncannon, the Canada Clergy Reserves Bill was read a third time.
The Archbishop of Canterburywas sorry to see that a noble Lord (Lord Ellen-borough), who had on a former night moved an amendment on this subject, was not in his place; that amendment, which their Lordships had adopted, would bear most heavily on the Church. It was to give a power to the Crown to give its consent to any bill which the colonial legislature might pass, enacting that the proceeds arising from the sale of the clergy reserves should form a separate debt, and should bear a uniform rate of interest. He thought that it would be inconvenient not to make this question final; but their Lordships would observe, that such an amendment would give a power to the colonial Legislature and the Crown, to apply all the money received from the sale of clergy reserves to the use of the province —the interest proposed to be allowed to the clergy for the use of the money was five per cent,, to be paid before any other 1358 debt. But even with this advantage, he asked their Lordships whether they would consent to dispose of their own funds or property in this way. The security was not very good; the interest was limited to five per cent.; and the clergy would be without the power of drawing out any amount of principal, however much it might be required. More than this, the stock so proposed to be created would be naturally affected by any resolution which might take place in the province. He, therefore, moved that the clause be struck out.
§ Agreed to.—Bill passed.